


Silver Linings

by obryzii



Series: All Fall Down [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alpha Kuroo Tetsurou, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Criminals, Alternate Universe - Law Enforcement, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Attempted Murder, Badass, Bokuto Koutarou & Kuroo Tetsurou Friendship, Breaking and Entering, Consulting Criminal, Crimes & Criminals, Cynical, Dark Past, Death, Death Threats, Emotional Baggage, Falling In Love, First Love, Forbidden Love, Friendship/Love, Illegal Activities, Jealous Kuroo Tetsurou, Kozume Kenma & Kuroo Tetsurou Friendship, Kuroo Tetsurou is a Dork, Kuroo Tetsurou is a Good Friend, Law Enforcement, Love, Love/Hate, M/M, Murder, Murder Mystery, Mystery, Near Death Experiences, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Tsukishima Kei, Omega Verse, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Slow Burn, Tsukishima Kei Being an Asshole, Tsukishima Kei is Bad at Feelings, Tsukishima Kei is a Dork
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-11-12 17:30:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 28,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11166639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obryzii/pseuds/obryzii
Summary: [Alpha/Beta/Omega-verse + Mafia AU] Tsukishima Kei is an omega. For his secondary sex, he's rather atypical. After all, the worst kind of omega there is a scentless omega. Even when in heat, he has never emitted any pheromones. When you take away the one thing that makes people view omegas as somewhat useful...they become useless in the eyes of society. But not only is he scentless, he's also scent-immune. He can't sense an Alpha's presence or another omega's heat nor will pheromones intimidate him. At first, he was thankful. He was able to get by in the majority of his life by disguising himself as a beta, but as he got older, things get progressively more difficult. He's always being overlooked, always being forgotten, always being treated like he wasn't even in the room. Eventually, it got to the point where it seemed like he didn't even exist. The point of the story being, he was completely and utterly alone. What seemed like a blessing in his high school years now was a curse. A curse that might just end up sending him six feet under.(In which Kei is an active participant in the underworld activities and Kuroo is an officer of the law.)





	1. Themes, Terms, and Concepts (Pre-reading)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now has information on Japanese Law Enforcement added. Feel free to ask questions if you have any ;)

# Themes, Terms, and Concepts (Pre-reading)

* * *

 

<http://obryzii.tumblr.com/post/161871916663/silver-linings-themes-terms-and-concepts>

(The text post on my tumblr, should people desire to read it there instead.)

 

I was hesitant to include this section but ended up doing so anyways, for it's always better to be safe than sorry. The last thing I want is for the reader to be confused. In addition, it was getting a little too long for my preference to just leave it in the chapter notes.

 

## The Yakuza

As the story continues, I will upload more themes, terms, and concepts here. But I don't wish to pour out every single detail I've researched involving the Yakuza (and the Japanese law enforcement) and rather, explain things as I go and limit it to the pieces that I'll be using.

The Yakuza refers to the organized crime groups existing in Japan (i.e. the Japanese Mafia). The word "yakuza" originates from _Oichi-kabu_ , which is a traditional Japanese card game played with special _kabufuda_ cards and is similar to Baccarat, a game frequently played at casinos. The ancestors of the Yakuza are considered to be both the _tekiya_  (traveling Japanese peddlers that emerged in the mid-Edo period who often sold stolen or shoddy goods) and _bakuto_ (traveling gamblers who had a much lower social status than the _tekiya_ since gambling is illegal). I won't bore you too much with the history, but in essence, the Yakuza came together from a variety of people who were deemed outsiders by the rest of society. The _tekiya_  were in some way legitimized when the oyabun of certain groups were gifted the _wakizashi_ , one of the _nihonto_ (traditionally made Japanese swords). At the time such swords were only worn by the Samurai class. The _wakizashi_ was gifted to the _oyabun_ by the Edo government and were also given a surname.

 

> Their system is highly patriarchal and exhibits a senior-junior/parent-child relationship/chain of command.
> 
> **In the case of A/B/Omega verse where a secondary sex exists, the chain of command would be as follows:**
> 
> Alpha Male > Alpha Female > Beta Male > Beta Female > Omega Male > Omega Female
> 
> (In which Beta Females and Omegas are the oppressed groups and are seen as "weaker" regardless of individual ability. Their views are typically more conservative but the levels depend on the doctrines and policies of the group.)

 

Their activities vary from money laundering to drug trafficking to extortion. The activities each group participates in depend on the group. For example, some groups have forbidden their members to engage in the drug trade but are fully behind human trafficking instead. Essentially, they take care of Japan's underground activities. However, they also have a heavy influence in the entertainment industry and other corporate scenes. It's fully dependent on the group.

_Soukaiya_  are criminals exorcizing a method of extortion unique to Japan: extortion involving threats to disrupt stockholder meetings. They extort money from or blackmail companies by threatening to publicly humiliate organizations and their management, usually in their annual meeting ( _soukai_ ).

_Jiageya_ are those who specialize in inducing holders of small real estate to sell their property so that estate companies can carry out much larger development plans.

 

> If you're lost, everything tends to revolve around the same principle: the idea that the big fish will manipulate the little fish solely for their own personal material gain, regardless of wordly consequences.

 

Shinjukuis one of the 23 wards of Tokyo that is known for housing a large entertainment, business, and shopping area positioned around Shinjuku Station. Shinjuku station is the world's busiest railroad station, transporting an average of two million people per day. Shinjuku is also a major stop for Japan's long-distance bus routes. The Kabukicho district (an infamous red light district) of Tokyo near Shinjuku station is a prominent center of Yakuza influence. The extent of the Yakuza's control over certain aspects depends on the individual group and their activities.

Relationships in the Yakuza are developed through the sharing of sake.  _Kumichou_  is the family head and at the top of the chain of command. The _oyabun_ (literal: foster parent) is the "father" of the relationship and are expected to be treated according to the principles of filial piety. The _kobun_  (literal: foster child) is the child of the relationship and owe both their allegiance and subordination to the _kobun_. Essentially, the system allows for branches upon branches of subgroups to be created. The lowest level of the ranks are referred to as "little brothers" known as _shatei_ , then "big brothers" known as _kyodai_  (though they are also affectionately called _Aniki_ by their _kobun_ ). The three closest to the _Kumichou_ (sometimes also called  _oyabun_ ), are the _Saiko-komon_ , _Wakagashira_ , and _Shateigashira._

The _Saiko-komon_ are known as the senior advisors and execute many of the administrative duties for the _Kumichou_. They often have shared sake directly with the _Kumichou_.

The _Wakagashira_ is the first lieutenant and can also be thought of as the _Kumichou's_ chosen successor. They have shared sake directly with the _Kumichou_ are the one that the _Kumichou_ trusts most. In special cases, a successor other than the _Wakagashira_ will be named, usually being a blood-related family member, _Shateigashira_ ,  _Saiko-komon_ , or closely-kept subordinate. In which case, conflict is likely to ensue.

The _Shateigashira_ is the _Kumichou's_ second lieutenant and likely the person they trust most after the _Wakagashira_. They have shared sake directly with the _Kumichou_.

With these being the top three positions aside from the head of the family, it is most common that an Alpha occupies those positions. Furthermore, they must also be able to exert control over the rest of the ranks. A Beta occupying the role is possible, though an Omega would be near impossible. An Omega who occupies any of those three roles most likely has significant protection from the _Kumichou_ , is fully under control of and/or is hiding the identity of their secondary sex, or has proven themselves indispensable (in this case, they will have to continue to do so for the rest of their lives). 

Underneath the _Saiko-komon_ are the more business-related positions within the hierarchy. There are the _shingiin_ (law-advisors, consultants, and lawyers) and _kaikei_ (the accountants), which are both at an equal level.

It's important to note that the Yakuza lifestyle is often regarded to as _gokudou_ , meaning "the ultimate path." The Yakuza see themselves as chivalrous groups ( _ninkyou dantai_ )  who act in accordance with honor and dignity. The law and media call them  _bouryokudan_ (literal: violent groups) and those who are registered are called  _Shitei Bouryokudan_ (literal: particularly violent groups). The Yakuza find this very offensive since it makes then out to be barbaric groups of people who exercise violence wildly. 

These are the basics for now. I might add in more tidbits as I see fit while the story progresses. As of now, I haven't planned till the end so I want to avoid explaining the things that won't be used as to avoid confusion.

 

## The Japanese Law Enforcement

The national level police organizations are the National Police Safety Commission (NPSC) and the National Police Agency (NPA). Law enforcement in Japan is under the jurisdiction of the NPA and provided by the Prefectural Police (PP). The NPA is administered by the NPSC, thereby assuring that Japan's police are an apolitical body and free of direct executive control (i.e. central government).

The National Police Academy, the National Research Institute of Police Science and the Imperial Guard Headquarters are also organizations affiliated with the NPA (National Police Agency).

The NPA is checked by an independent judiciary (also known as the judicial system/court system; it's the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state, providing a mechanism for the resolution of disputes) and monitored by a free and active press.

In Japan, the Constitution of Japan guarantees that all judges will only be bound by the Constitution and the Laws and are allowed to be nonpartisan and autonomous with their conscience. They cannot be removed from the bench unless declared physically or mentally incompetent to perform their duties. Most importantly, they cannot be disciplined by executive agencies. The exception being Supreme Court judges, who can be removed from offices through majority vote or in a referendum that occurs at the first general election following the judge's appointment and every ten years after.

 

> **What does this mean for the A/B/O-verse?**
> 
> Essentially, due to the nature of the NPA, their principles are more likely to be free from political bias placed on the secondary gender. While I'm not saying that the prejudice doesn't exist, they have the ability to make decisions on a case by case basis rather than going off of the trends of that population.
> 
> In addition, the police force also follows a patriarchal system, but the level of ability and intelligence can override this. 

 

Now back onto the NPA.

The agency is headed by a commissioner general who is appointed by the NPSC with the approval of the prime minister. The central office of the NPA includes the Secretariat, with divisions for general operations, planning, information, finance, management, and procurement and distribution of police equipment, and five bureaus. These Bureaus consist of the following:

Administration Bureau, Criminal Investigation Bureau, Traffic Bureau, Security Bureau, and Communications Bureau.

These are all the internal Bureaus of the NPA. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Administration Bureau is concerned with police personnel, education, welfare, training, and unit inspections.

The Criminal Investigation Bureau is in charge of research statistics and the investigation of nationally important and international cases. In addition, the Criminal Investigation Bureau surveys, formulates, and recommends legislation on firearms, explosives, food, drugs, and narcotics. The Safety Department within the Bureau is responsible for crime prevention, combating juvenile delinquency, and pollution control. Another internal Department of the Criminal Investigation Bureau is the Organized Crime Department, which deals with groups such as the Yakuza. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Communications Bureau supervises police communications systems.

The NPA maintains Regional Police Bureaus as its local agencies throughout the country. There are several bureaus in the major cities, excluding Tokyo and the northern island of Hokkaido. The National Police Agency has seven regional police bureaus, each responsible for a number of prefectures. These Bureaus are as follows:

Tohoku Regional Police Bureau, Kanto Regional Police Bureau, Chubu Regional Police Bureau, Kinki Regional Police Bureau, Chugoku Regional Police Bureau, Shikoku Regional Police Bureau, and the Kyushu Regional Police Bureau.

Police law states that each prefectural government will have its own Prefectural Police (PP).

The PP is supervised by the Prefectural Public Safety Commission (PPSC), which carries out all police duties within the boundaries of the prefecture. In practice, the PP forces are located in each of the 47 prefectures. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Metropolitan Tokyo and the island of Hokkaido are excluded from these regional jurisdictions and are run more autonomously than other local forces, in the case of Tokyo, because of its special urban situation, and of Hokkaido, because of its distinctive geography. The NPA maintains police communications divisions in these two areas to handle any coordination needed between national and local forces. They are the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Communications Division and the Hokkaido Prefecture Police Communications Divisions respectively.

This hierarchy can be seen in the chart below.

Next is the Koban System. The Koban system is connected to police stations through the Community Police Affairs Section of police departments (more on this later).

The Japanese community police force in police stations is mainly composed of officers posted at police boxes ( _koban_ ) or residential police boxes ( _Chuzaisho or residential koban_ ), and those assigned to radio patrol cars. The Koban system provides local residents with safety and peace through daily contacts of police officers with residents in the area. Its success depends on the human relationship between the police officers and the community people. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition, each prefectural police headquarters has a railway police unit, a communications command center, police vessels, and police aircraft (helicopter).

For most community residents, community police officers are both fighters and protectors. They affectionately call them _omawari-san_ (dear patrol officer). The term conveys the image of someone who is gentle but strong.

This is the reason why Japanese police adopted the police box system is because it enables them to grasp the security condition of each community as well as the opinions, needs, and worries of the residents. Due to a worsening crime situation in Japan, the strengthening of the traditional crime deterrent functions of the police box system has currently become a hot topic within the police community.

The differences between _Koban_ and _Chuzaisho_ :

Koban are established in urban areas and operate on shift services, while Chuzaisho are in more rural/semi-rural areas and manned by a single officer, who lives on site with his family.

Police boxes are more advantageous in terms of the prevention of crimes and accidents, and the response to such events, because each of them is manned by more than one officer around the clock. In contrast, each residential police box is manned by just one officer, making it possible to cover a wide area with such limited personnel. The residential police box system is effective in rural and semi-rural areas, where there are few crimes and accidents.

 

## Tokyo Police

The following chart displays the hierarchy of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police ( _Keishichou_ ). It's very similar in a majority of ways to the structure of the NPA.

 

The insignias to the right also show the different ranks of the police. Here are some more information on them and their respective titles:

Commissioner General ( _Keisatsu-chou Choukan_ ): The Chief of National Police Agency.

Superintendent General ( _Keishi-soukan)_ : Superintendant General of Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department

Senior Commissioner ( _Keishi-kan_ ): Deputy Commissioner General, Deputy Superintendent General, The Chief of Regional Police Bureau, The Chief of Prefectural Police Headquarters, others.

Commissioner ( _Keishi-chou_ ): The Chief of Prefectural Police Headquarters.

Assistant Commissioner ( _Keishi-sei_ ): The Chief of Police Station (a large one). National Police Agency officers occupy the higher ranks above it.

Superintendant ( _Keishi_ ): The Chief of Police Station (a small or middle sized one), The Vice Commanding Officer of Police Station, Commander of Riot Unit.

Police Chief Inspector ( _Keibu_ ): Squad Commander of Police Station, Leader of Riot Company.

Inspector ( _Keibu-ho_ ): Squad Sub-Commander of Police Station, Leader of Riot Platoon. National Police Officer 1st class's career starts from this rank.

Sergeant ( _Junsa-buchou_ ): Field Supervisor, Leader of a Police box. National Police Officer 2nd class's career starts from this rank.

Senior Police Officer ( _Junsa-chou_ ): Police Officer.

Police Officer ( _Junsa_ ): Prefectural Police Officer's career starts from this rank.

By 1st class, 2nd class, and etc. it refers to the officers who attended the police academy and their success there. They would be allowed to start in higher ranks whereas will start as a police officer. Graduates of high school, junior colleges, or universities are all welcome to apply; however, university graduates are given a training course of only six months while high school students and junior college students are trained for ten months. The curriculum includes both general education subjects such as ethics and courses geared for police work such as laws, martial arts (like _kendo_ and _judo_ ), shooting firearms, and a number of specialized courses.

This pretty much concludes a very basic overview of their system. Much of the higher up executive stuff is not necessary to know for this work. It was primarily included to provide a better understanding of how policing works in regards to the different prefectures.

In the A/B/O-verse, it's typical for Alphas and Betas to fulfill these positions due to their nature. Omegas are very rare to see within the force. Those reading this from Chapter two and onwards will have read/guessed that Kuroo and Kenma are both police officers. They operate in the Organized Crime Department, which manages groups like the Yakuza (however, you will soon find that their squad is rather atypical).

It's important to know that the NPA sets most of the rules and guidelines while the PP does most of the field work. I know this was very rushed and nondescript so I'll be happy to clarify anything in the comments. I've tried to thoroughly make sure this research and all else was factually/culturally correct, though there are still gaps I wasn't able to fill. I'll use my knowledge of the American Police System to fill those gaps in the story when the time comes. 

 

 

* * *

 

## Terms

Terms (beyond the first chapter) will also be listed in the chapter notes of the chapter they appear in, but they will also be listed here.

NEET \- a NEET is a young person who is Not in Education, Employment, or Training. It is typically used to describe youths who are indolent, work-shy, and voluntarily out of work. The term is used in various countries. In Japan, the classification consists of people aged between 15 and 34 who are not employed, not engaged in housework, not enrolled in school or work-related training, and not seeking work.

rengo-kai \- federation (ex. _Aoba Johsai-rengo-kai; Aoba Johsai Federation_ )

kai \- organization; society (ex. _Shiratorizawa-souhonke-kai; Shiratorizawa Head Family Organization_ )

souhonke* - all family; head family (ex. _Shiratorizawa-souhonke-kai; Shiratorizawa Head Family Organization_ )

*Used in tandem with _kai_ in order to portray that when Kei says _Shiratorizawa-souhonke-kai_ , he is actually referring to the head family of the organization, in which case he could have referred to it as _Ushijima-ikka_ (ikka meaning family) since the Ushijima family is the head family of _Shiratorizawa-kai (Shiratorizawa Society/Organization)_.

**Please also be aware that when Kei says _Shira-souke-kai_ he is abbreviating _Shiratorizawa-souhhonke-kai_ (since  souke also refers to head family).

Yubitsume \- (literal: finger shortening) a ritual in which one's finger is amputated in order to atone for one's sins and/or show sincerity in apology. Yubitsume was also an alternative to having to pay their debt. It is not common in the modern scene since money is deemed far more valuable than blood.

Koroshiya \- a professional killer; hit man

Soshiki Hanzai Taisakubu \- Organized Crime Investigation Bureau (Tokyo Metropolitan)

Hanzaisha – a criminal; culprit

sensei \- a title which refers to doctors, teachers, and others who are a master of their particular craft


	2. I Am Tsukishima Kei

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I have decided to place a warning for this chapter. Please be wary and cognizant of themes (including: self-loathing, extreme depressive thoughts along with potentially triggering examples of fatalism and existentialism) as a by-product of the current character-situation.

# I Am Tsukishima Kei

_(revised & edited in full 03112018)_

 

* * *

 

Tsukishima Kei has never, will never, and can never fit the representative class of omega. It had nothing to do with personality in his case. His existence was very well against the laws of biology. He doesn't fit the Omega stereotype because he physically _can't_.

Nothing is worse than presenting as an Omega. Most anyone will tell you this. No one wants to be told (especially not by science) they are intrinsically meek, docile, submissive and incapable of standing comfortably as an independent. Yet still most people were ignorant of the fact that there was something existing to be considered even lower than an Omega—a _scentless_ Omega. Take away the Omega's main selling point—their scent—and all that's left is a person that was just simply _weak_ — a _waste_. Even such a statement operates under the assumption that one's progressive enough to believe that Omegas are still sentient, still people. The alternative of said human empathy being: crippling and mentally caged conservatism.

Tsukishima Kei was such. He was a scentless Omega. His constitution made him even weaker than weak, and he _hated_ it. He hated himself. It vexed him so much he outright scowled each time he thought of it. Society ranks him as arbitrary, or even less than that. He was the dull knife in the back of the kitchen drawer no one thought of using.

In the beginning, he could've cared less as to whether or not he was maintaining a certain level of conformity. Hell, for the majority of his life, it was a freaking miracle. A blessing, even. It was the best deterrent for Alphas and dissented violation. There were more times than he could count where this abnormality saved him from otherwise grave peril. He still feels indebted to the mutation to this day, despite directly causing the hatred he held for himself. When he underwent heat, he felt mildly safer. He does not emit the entrancing pheromones Alphas were so taken with back in high school. It still never prevented his heat from coming, and when it did, it was at least twice, if not three times more crippling than the average Omegas'.

The upside was (or downside, depending on how you look at it) in being scentless, he was somehow made scent-immune himself. He has never known what it's like being forced into submission, or to be at anyone's mercy. His heats were passible as having chronically ill-health conditions, and the body given to him by Omegatry made him well-suited to the role of a sickly Beta.

Pheromones might as well not exist to him. The more he watched Alphas become increasingly angry and the more he remained unaffected by their natural prowess, the more he wanted to provoke them. His antagonistic nature was cultivated and thrived under such jurisdiction. Knowing their intimidation tactics had no effect on him gave him satisfaction that was unique to him and him alone. Among the kings, the one able to stand above them all happened to be the weakest.

In high school, he got by on the assumption that he was a very tall but sickly and frail beta male. Peers attributed his aloof nature to his elevated intellect. He still received his fair share of attacks over his 'insubordination' and  'disrespect.' It all would have panned bette if Kei had even the slightest care. Though as time went on, situations became more difficult for him on the emotional spectrum.

It started when he joined the volleyball club in his first year of senior high. There was a vigorously spirited Omega with grandiose notions of becoming the ace. Kei was baffled by the fact. The Omega was short, beyond obnoxious, physically weak, below average in volleyball skill, and below average in intelligence. How someone of this ineptitude became fixated on being the team's ace was beyond his understanding. The more brazenly he was, the more Kei wanted to see him knocked down. Even with his vices, he was favored by everyone. It escalated later, to the point where he was the center of focus of any room he entered at any time. He, that gauche dwarf, became impossible to ignore.

And above all else, that Omega's dynamism captivated the attention of others. 'Potent charisma' was a category in which Kei sorely lacked. Thus, the descent from his superiority complex and into his inferiority complex began.

When the Omega was there, it was made way too easy, way too easy for everyone to forget Kei was in the room. He was forgotten far more and far deeper than he usually was. With no scent, he was forgettable. The snarky comments that became his signature were the only things that kept his head above water. He couldn't help it. Kei was desperate to defy the fate that damned him into oblivion. Once the sun rises, people forget that the moon was ever there.

The situation steadily became worse over the course of his adolescence. Kei was always being overlooked, always being forgotten, always being treated like he wasn't even in the room. He wondered often whether or not others ever missed him not because they knew they should be, but because he wasn't there. Oblivion even came to plague his family, his closest friends. It didn't matter how smart he had been back then, or how tall, or even how bad his personality became. He was never able to intimidate others. He never stayed in others' memories for a pleasant feeling he had given them. He was never the one who was picked first, if picked at all—if they _remembered_ to pick him at all. It never mattered how much he tried or how much effort he put into it. He didn't even felt like he existed and, the outcome was always the same.

'Tsukishima Kei' was just a waste.

Granted, he's crossed paths with a handful of keen Alphas. That's expected of the apex sex. In volleyball there were a few capable of holding the thought of him in their mind for the duration of a match. Kei would return to being invisible after that. High school is a time where everyone in one mass conglomerate body is struggling to establish their identity, but his struggles were different. They were not mountains but _chasms_. He just tried to keep himself from being a little more than a ghost.

He's had relationships before but was unable to keep them. He's had friends. They always stopped contacting him when given enough time. God forbid Kei to be the one who ghosted them—he would be waiting for a message that would never come. Everything was made very clear to him. He is incapable of bonding with anyone. He was completely and utterly alone

Kei started to expect something like this upon discovering his brother had a similar affliction. Back then, he spent his time brushing him off, shoving him to the side. He didn't mind the prospect of being alone. He still doesn't. Except, he hadn't expected it to hurt this much.

It wasn't long before he abandoned every idealistic notion like 'I just wish' and 'if only' entirely. He submitted to what thereafter would be his pitiful life.

He should've never done it.

Make no mistake. His regret has no effect on and does not mean that his current situation would have turned out differently. Kei would likely be in the same place he was now had he not submitted to the universe. If he had kept at it, kept trying to live like the other half of this world, would he still be walking down the streets of Shinjuku any given day of the week? He couldn't help but think that it was inevitable. Still, a piece of his heart calls out in a whisper. _I shouldn't have done it._ He suspects it belongs to the very omega part of him. It's silenced, quickly.

In this life, where he was good at a great many things but went unrecognized for each and every one, it was natural that he fell to the shadows. There was one simple truth he was unable to deny: Kei was built for this. No matter what path he chose years ago, it didn't change the fact. He was built for this. He was built for the shadow life. He could infiltrate next to anywhere without leaving a trace. He was quick and clean. He did tidy jobs with even tidier hands. He was elusive, only accepting jobs through a handful of personal connections and benefactors. His lack of presence fed the anonymity he had adopted as his identity. This, in turn, amplified his ominous aura. Only a select few knew his name—not the name on his heart but of his face—but everyone knew  _Him_. They knew he was a shadow, knew he was lethal, and never dared to question that he was a force to be reckoned with.

For one, he knows everything that he  _shouldn't_ know, yet he was not affiliated with any one organization, rarely ever getting involved in business that wasn't his own. This was Tsukishima Kei, or 'Hibiki' (the pseudonym the underworld had taken liberty to bestow him), an Omegian NEET turned koroshiya.

Presently, he was working a job, a job from one 'Oikawa Tooru,' Aoba Johsai-rengo-kai no Kumichou. His target was another Kumichou, Shiratorizawa-souhonke-kai no Ushijima Wakatoshi. It was a heavy package, one that he's been sitting on for weeks. Whether he was to succeed or fail, the underworld will explode.

It was no secret to anyone that the two groups are at odds subsequent to the failed merger years prior, but to think the conflict between the two had escalated so much as to aim directly for the head of the snake...This wasn't just dirt he was about to dirty his hands with, it was a life-long stain. He'd have a target between his eyes for the rest of his life. If the order hadn't come directly from Kumichou Oikawa himself, he would have outright refused. There wasn't enough money in this world to prompt Kei to touch this nuclear bomb with a ten-meter stick. Though if there was one person in this world that could pull off such a feat, it was him. Not a soul would have even a lick of evidence as to whom had done it. Except, that was precisely the problem. With such a high profile job and such a high level of difficulty, there was only one person who could have executed it to a godly degree of perfection: 'Hibiki.'

If they wanted to find him, they could track the money he received from every job. Should Kei want to disappear, he couldn't even _think_ about touching the money. That would make him jobless and without a certifiable degree, homeless, but also broke, altogether.

Still, here he was, perched on the precipice, waiting to descend into at least seven different realities of hell. Kei lied patiently, waiting in an establishment not far off from where the corporate headquarters of Shira-souke-kai was located. He positioned himself as he wanted: as far away from the scene as humanly possible with modern technology. No sane person, and no person who knows how these jobs are done, would be keen on lingering around to engage in the aftermath.

The roaring rush of vehicles below served as sufficient ambiance to soothe his erratic heartbeat. He peered over the edge of the window, following the lights while they flew past in blurred lines. Kei wasn't the type to dwell in his mind on the job. He routinely aimed to get it over with in an expeditious and exacting manner. The longer he wasted time, the higher his risks increased.

He's been observing Ushijima for an overly extensive period. Kei almost instinctually knew his weekly schedule down to the minute and the second. He's practiced the timing in which he set up and aimed his rifle and timed his shot for weeks and days. Under quiet breaths, he pieced his rifle together. The familiar click of each piece served as checkpoints for his list.

_Check my position. Check the position of the target. Check the time. Check my vicinity. Check the target. Check target's vicinity. Check the target again. Check the time again._

The last click came from the attachment of his silencer. Kei set his rifle atop the window pane. He steadied his hand, body falling into a habitual position. His hands flexed inside his black neoprene gloves, loosening the material. Kei's line of vision fell into perfect alignment with the viewfinder of his rifle. Through it, he checked the position of the target one last time. He winced. 

 

Ushijima was no longer alone. Events were now of contingency. In front of him was a loose-limbed young man with honey blonde hair styled half-way to a bowl cut. On any other day he would have given the new proprietor a chuckle and snide remark. Kei did exhaustive research on Shiratorizawa-souke-kai prefacing the job. He wasn't as stupid as to rush into their territory blindly. This new face was the Wakagashira, Shirabu Kenjirou. Alarms chimed inside his head as he reviewed the environment for the third time. Anxiety did subside gradually when they became fixedly engaged in conversation. The alien subject worked to his favor by holding Ushijima in his position. The muscles in his face relaxed, returning his expression to slack.

Kei held the rifle steady with his shoulder staring raptly at the two in his viewfinder. He took a breath. On the exhale, his finger closed over the trigger. It pulled through the tautness of the mechanized spring. In the same moment that he did, a jolt ran through his body—it was not from the gun.

Somewhere between when he pressurized the trigger until the moment he compressed it fully, the Wakagashira had vaulted onto Ushijima and captured him in a deep kiss. Instead of Ushijima, the bullet dived gracelessly into the neck of his subordinate, lodging itself in the lower half of his left posterior, just centimeters shy of his artery. The slender man collapsed limply in Ushijima's arms. His head turned in Kei's direction, gaze seethed in fury, with eyes Kei was sure only saw red.

Kei recalled only a single fact from Shirabu Kenjirou's profile; he was an Omega. Albeit an extremely assertive one, but an Omega nonetheless. Regardless of whether or not the two were emotionally involved, the pheromones released under the Omega's distress would be blinding.

Not only had he missed the target, he shot a non-target with a witness present. His location had been revealed. To top it off, he _also_ happened to shoot Shirabu whom Ushijima was very clearly possessive over. Meaning, he just inflicted a potentially lethal injury on an Omega whose Alpha is the head of one of the most prominent organized crime syndicates in East Asia. This may not have been a nuclear bomb, but it was, at the very least, the equivalent of Kei painting a bold red 'x' on his chest, both front and back.

Ushijima didn't look away for a moment from his direction. Kei could only remain crouched, absolutely shell-shocked. Sudden movements could disturb light refractions in the window panes. It was like facing a Tyrannosaurus Rex. If he gave himself away, he was gone. He didn't need to be able to smell pheromones in order to be terrified beyond belief. The infamous koroshiya made a paralyzing mistake. He's made them before—small ones, minor and insignificant—but this one...this time he was in _deep_ shit. This was shit so deep that he couldn't even begin to look for a way out. He fucked up.

Yubitsume seemed highly appealing to him at present. However, instead of only a finger, he was sure it would be his head.

 _They'll be here soon_ , his thoughts reminded.

It seemed the only thing capable of rousing him from his petrified state was more fear. Kei carefully moved out of sight then swiftly dismantled his rifle with ease, a practice akin to brushing his teeth. He was at loss for why he bothered to run when the inevitable chased him like the Sun does the Earth. The Sun fated to destabilize and engulf the Earth entirely in its solar energy, ultimately destroying this galaxy and everything within it. Kei would be caught and killed. This was the inescapable. Though now, in the present moment of do-or-die, some quieter sense of misplaced self-preservation simmered in him. Perhaps it was the Omegatry that made him so.

It was his caution for dwelling that moved him to the next stage. Caution was a useful tool when kept reined. Let loose, and it turns into needless self-doubt and anxiety. He made his way out of the main levels of the building, making his way down to the ground level. There he came upon the staffs' parking garage. Access to the underground encasement was only by way of an authorized keycard. By the time the angry neighbors next door get a hold of a card or infiltrate the level by force, Kei would be long gone. The protocols of this building were his only security. From the garage, he slipped away into the sewers. He had confidence in his escape routes. Kei practiced their execution as many times as he the action of holding his gun to the window. The effectuation of every contingency plan was analogous to the back of his hand. When the Ushijima's underlings arrive at his perch, there will be nowhere to direct his fury and not a trace of Kei would remain. However, the normal assurance that came with removing himself from the scene...never did.

Now many blocks away, he was out of the sewers and well into his projected safe zone for abstraction. His heart was still anything but calm. Contrarily, his heartbeat only increased, as well as his body temperature. Kei slowed himself to a staggering walk, gasping for breath. His spun wildly, to the point of nausea. He continued, walking shakily and unsteadily. His state received various perturbed glances from passersby. He kept this new pace for awhile but not even the prolonged rest served him well. The blonde's limbs began to tremble uncontrollably.

He had simply chalked it up to fear at the start but this? This was too much. He gripped the cross-body strap of his duffle with white-knuckles.

 _Now would be a pleasantly horrible time to get picked up by the wrong people_ , he thought. In sudden conjunction his vision blurred. Kei jolted in response to his own body. Every muscle beneath his skin tensed. _If this is going where I think it's going...._

Kei felt bile burning at the back of his throat. His free hand flew up over his lips to hold it in. The joints of his knees shook, legs reluctantly tempted into weakness. He doubled over onto the sidewalk, gritting his teeth under the aching pain.  _Not here, not now._

His jaw clenched, sending groans inward. Feeling feverish, he knew his body was on the brink of succumbing to the heat. Every inch of him ached. Every inch of him nearly boiled. Outsiders must have seen him as a NEET either heavily intoxicated or heavily narcotized or both. His behavior was hardly promising. If they bothered, he was sure to be called on, then brought to a very complicated situation with the authorities. Regardless, there was no one who would aid him. He knew that. Kei was left to his own devices.

But Kei didn't need sympathy, he needed a fucking miracle.

Over the course of his lifetime, Kei wondered, thinking back into time if he had ever lived through anything he perceived to be more of a nightmare than this. He couldn't help but kick himself. He should've taken the easy way out. He should've taken then bullet lodged in Shirabu Kenjirou and blew it into his own head instead. He hated being at the mercy of his secondary sex. He hated being nearly susceptible to anything under influence of his heat. It only rendered him more useless—more of a waste—than he already was. It was two weeks early. Two whole  _weeks_.

If his employers knew Hibiki was a cowering Omega, they'd piss in his face. Kei was now smack dab in the middle of the Labyrinth. The Minotaur is surely appearing soon. He was surrounding by sights he didn't know. His senses were overwhelmed by foreign invasion. Fear and uncertainty seized him again. He urged himself to breathe deeply, to let the toxicities roll across his mind like water on a duck's back. Let the air come in through his nose and out through his mouth. The blonde Omega racked his brain for place he could crash just until his waning consciousness regenerated some. He couldn't think rationally. All he saw were faded images of his humble apartment. More visions of him curled up next to Akiteru and devouring strawberry shortcake came, and even more visions of him curled up on his futon with a mass of pillows and blankets to cocoon him. None of those places are places he could go. Moreover, none of those places were remotely close to him geographically. The Omega inside him quailed. His emotional state was like a child.

"Oi, are you alright?" a solemn voice called out to him. It was smooth and deep, yet soft at the same time. His body shivered from the night breeze. When he reluctantly pulled his eyes away from the floor, he saw a familiar freckled face.

"Yamaguchi," he breathed wondrously, chest heaving.

"Eh? Tsukki?!" Yamaguchi exclaimed. He crouched down to Kei's level, placing a hand on his shoulder. The blonde winced at the touch. Yamaguchi's eyes were full of concern. "What's wrong? Are you sick?" Kei nodded tentatively in response.

Yamaguchi was an Alpha he was notably close to in his compulsory school years. In fact, he was pretty much really the only one he was close with. This was as a result of two reasons: 1) Yamaguchi was rather atypical himself for an Alpha (being innately kindhearted and often anxious), and 2) Yamaguchi was tremendously easy to read. Being scent-immune also meant that Kei was unable to rely on pheromones to convey subtext and emotions. He learned very early the value of being able to interpret body language and using the human capacity for empathy. Not being able to smell the scent changes—as distinct as they were subtle—in others made him locked out from the rest. Everyone around him spoke a foreign language. He's picked up a few words here and there, but it will never compare to a native speaker. The freckled man blinked at him steadily. It had been years since they last saw each other. They both look nearly unrecognizable to the other. Kei wouldn't be surprised if he just turned around and le—

"Want to rest awhile at my place? Just until you're well enough to get back on your feet. My apartment isn't too far from here," Yamaguchi whispered as to not overwhelm him. He was even careful to tiptoe around Kei's remnant pride.

"Ehh?" Kei raised both brows.

Yamaguchi sighed, "Come on, I thought you were supposed to be the smart one Tsukki." He had added some humor to his voice. "Don't tell me you were really thinking of toughing it out here on the street?"

"I..." Kei was unable to finish the thought.

"Good God, you're really out of it. Come on, I'll help you up. " Yamaguchi grabbed Kei by the arm, pulling him upwards. The moment he was standing upright, his knees buckled awkwardly in their joints. Before he could stumble, the freckled Alpha came to catch him again.

"Sorry," Kei muttered. He knew if he wasn't in the mindset of his own heat that he would be more bitter about it.

"Here, lean on my shoulder," Yamaguchi huffed. The blonde Omega let his weight fall onto the Alpha's shoulder. Instinctively, there was something about Yamaguchi that felt different. His voice was deeper, his shoulders were broader, and he carried an air of confidence that he didn't have before.

Well, to be fair, they hadn't seen each other since their third year in senior high. Following graduation, Kei disappeared without a single trace. He didn't enter the underworld by choice. He may have let it happen, but it wasn't his original plan.

Out of his weary peripheral vision, the shining glint of gold caught him. On Yamaguchi's left hand was a wedding band. If he was in his right mind, he would have teased him about it. Maybe even, asked to catch up...

 _How did that happen, and how long ago was it?_ Kei asked himself. _Not to mention, to whom?_ His mind became consumed with wanderlust. In the end, he was the one in the hot seat for all this. Spending this much time in his head—it was stupid. He should have known his heat was coming because in no other state would he give this much thought to his life. He might've instead done the sensible thing and erase himself before taking the job from Oikawa.

When the two arrived at the door of Yamaguchi's apartment, Kei was depleted in all respects. His inner turmoil was not soothed yet, but some of the burden did pass knowing that a familiar presence was near. Inside the apartment, there were coats on racks, all hung near the door. He found petite shoes pushed to the trim. They were paired together, but only laxly. Photos of equal distances apart adorned the walls. One was of their volleyball club from back in school, and another of a team he didn't recognize, decked in black and red. The third photo immediately caught his eye. It was of Yamaguchi and an elfin blonde with brunette hair at the roots. Feline eyes were there to accompany his slender face. A bona fide Omega. Likely, it was Yamaguchi's mate. They had broad smiles spread about their cheeks. That side of Yamaguchi, the part of him that's lived through the past eight to nine years was a side that Kei was completely clueless about.

The fourth and final photo was the one to stop him dead in his tracks. It was Yamaguchi and him, together in their first year. They were hardly presentable for a photo. It was taken right after the Miyagi Prefectural Finals, he could tell by the tape on his fingers. It was likely the only photo in existence to show Kei with a genuine smile. If Kei knew back then Yamaguchi was in possession of that kind of thing, he wouldn't have stopped until it was gone. He knew Yamaguchi knew that.

Kei was glad. It was the best secret Yamaguchi ever kept. 

Yamaguchi let Kei down on their couch, mentioning something about a futon. Kei was listening, but he didn't hear him.

"We don't have many spare blankets, but you can take this coat. It's clean, I just washed it." Yamaguchi tossed a heavy black trench coat into Kei's grasp. It smelled mostly of detergent, but there was another smell that lied beneath it. Something that made the heart cool but the body warm. He took the garment, pushing his arms through the sleeves, back-first. The Omega wrapped it around himself, burrowing into the cushions of the couch.

"Thanks," he mumbled softly. It was barely a whisper, yet Yamaguchi still heard it. The freckled face beamed. Time passed, around thirty minutes or so, in which neither Yamaguchi or Kei spoke. By the time conversation started up again, Kei was halfway asleep.

"Hey, Kei," Yamaguchi whispered, patting his shoulder softly. "I have to go pick up my mate from the station. I'm thinking I'll be back in around an hour?" Kei rustled beneath the borrowed coat and between the cushions.

"Itterasshai," Kei hummed sleepily. Yamaguchi blinked at the sudden softness of the blonde's normally frigid cold. The freckled Alpha prepared himself to go outside, fastening the buckles of his coat and fixing the laces of his shoes. He exited the apartment quietly. Yamaguchi was careful not to disturb the invalid lying inside. The moment Kei heard the door click, he forced himself to sit upright. The thirty minutes of rest he was able to receive would be just enough to haul himself out of Yamaguchi's apartment. He may be in heat but he wasn't out of his god damn mind. At least, not yet. 

When Yamaguchi left, he hadn't known that the one to leave and not come back would be not him, but Kei. The freckled Alpha would return to an empty house with everything as he left it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...And this concludes the first chapter. I've been working on this part for one heck of a long time. Honestly, I just got so sick of working on the same damn scene for two weeks. I ended up having to split it for spacing in terms of content. I feel it would have made for a more interesting chapter but it would have been way too dense for my taste. Probably should have split this a third time but oh well.
> 
> Alright, so please don't hate me...Kuroo was supposed to appear in this first chapter I promise but a last minute decision (in order to save my sanity) had to be made. :( I'm sorry everyone.
> 
> This would be my first A/B/O fic and my first that's focused on KurooTsukki so it should be fun. :3 I started this in procrastination of my other two fics...heh. I'm really excited to write more of this though. I'm liking the thought of atypical and almost mutated secondaries in A/B/O (I mean they can't all be the same right?) and I'm looking forward to adding other eccentrics as the story goes on...and Kei's underworld back story as well. XD
> 
> I hope you all enjoy and liked this first chapter! I tried my best to make it interesting and exciting to read.
> 
> Hope you guys had an awesome day!
> 
> ~obryzii


	3. Gone Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the attention the first chapter has gotten!!!~ Has Tsukki been misdiagnosed? In favor of his own sanity, Kuroo votes yes. Pics or it didn't happen, Yamaguchi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHH! I woke up this morning and I almost screamed. The first part of this story was received really well, much better than I had originally thought!! Thank you all so much! I was so pleasantly surprised. <3 I worked hard to get this next part out to you soon since it seemed like people were interested in this story.  
> I hope the second chapter is enjoyable as well! Please tell me how I'm doing in the comments. ;) Feedback is so helpful moving forward and it motivates me a ton! I'd really appreciate it. <3
> 
> Another aspect to note:  
> Yamaguchi Kozume = Kenma Kozume
> 
> Have an absolutely awesome day and thanks so much for reading this!
> 
> ** **EDIT:** _A special thanks to Nix (Nikola) for alerting me of a critical logistical error regarding Kenma. Your attention to detail has saved me._ ♡♡ **

It was the end of their work day, and Kuroo Tetsurou made sure his childhood friend Yamaguchi (Kenma) Kozume was able to get home safely. Both Tetsurou and Kenma's mate agreed that Kozume shouldn't be allowed to go home alone. For one, he was an Omega and the reality was he needed to look after himself. Another reason being that he would get so wrapped up in his devices it would take him forever to get home (they tried it once, resulting in one frantic mate and the petite Omega shuffled to the opposite end of Tokyo). Consequently, walking home with Kozume became a part of Tetsurou's routine.

Tetsurou's body shriveled from the city chill. It was cold that night. He'd only a light jacket on his person. He watched Kozume play games on his phone earnestly, feline eyes opened wide. The Alpha sighed, flicking the face of his watch towards him.

"Tadashi's pretty late, isn't he?" he wondered aloud. Kozume only gave him half a shrug of acknowledgment. Tetsurou exhaled, reclining into a relaxed position on the bench. A good ten minutes later, a freckled Alpha with mouse-brown hair was running towards them. "Ah, there he is." Kozume looked up immediately from his phone to verify. Panting and out of breath, Yamaguchi Tadashi appeared in front of them. His cheeks were flushed, from either the cold or the run.

"I'm so sorry," he wheezed. "I got caught up with something."

"It's alright," Kozume told him. The Alpha hadn't even been within ten feet when Tetsurou smelled it. It distorted his sanity, turning his entire body to stone. His nose twitched, immediately having to throw up his hand over his airways.

"God, this smell..." Kuroo recoiled at its sudden appearance.

Yamaguchi tilted his head to the side, "Smell...?" Tetsurou couldn't stop himself from coughing. The air around Yamaguchi was thick and heavy with it. It was the kind of scent that the more it was smelled, the stronger it would get. The scent began as a light and airy aroma of fresh linen, the clean smell that made someone want to jump right into a freshly made bed. As it circulated through his airways, the fragrance became more potent. It progressed into the smell of jasmine. It was utterly disorienting. The smell led his mind in circles. So much so that he had a hard time keeping track of it. If he released the thought for even a second, the presence would have been completely lost to him. It was the Bermuda triangle. He couldn't imagine what it would have been like to be standing next to the source. That last thought caused his blood to run cold.

 _The source...? What was the source_? Tetsurou's face descended into a scowl.

"Yamaguchi," he growled. "What the hell is that smell from?" It was far too sweet to be any Alpha's. It toyed with his instincts too much to be a Beta's. Kuroo could feel his inner beast stirring. His muscles tensed. It was an Omega's scent. _Definitely_ an Omega's scent. It couldn't have been Kozume's. He was gone the whole day and after being around him all these years prompted Tetsurou to have the petite Omega's scent memorized. Not to mention, the Alpha-Omega mating bond was there to strictly prevent such circumstances.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Yamaguchi's brow furrowed, visibly perplexed.

 _But for the scent to be this strong, it meant that Yamaguchi must've gotten close,_ he thought. Finally, Tetsurou understood. He reached forward, combatively grabbing hold of Yamaguchi by the shirt.

"Don't mess around, Tadashi," he barked. "I never pegged you for one of _those_ guys, but now that I've seen it, I can't unsee it."

"Alright, back off Kuroo," Yamaguchi said firmly. The tension between the two began to rise.

"You better have some damn good reason, not that any excuse would cover it," Tetsurou said darkly.

"You need to calm down," Yamaguchi said, shoving Tetsurou away from him. "What's up with all this 'Omega' talk? What the heck are you implying?"

Tetsurou's gaze lowered, "Did you or did you not sleep with another Omega?" Yamaguchi recoiled, assuming an expression full of disgust.

"I am mated to _Kozume_ ," the freckled Alpha replied resolutely.

"If you worked in our profession, you'd soon find that whether or not someone is mated doesn't mean shit. Even just being in a room with a scent like that, I don't trust you to not have done anything."

Yamaguchi's hands clenched into fists, "I haven't even come in contact with an Omega in heat."

"Stop outright lying!" Tetsurou shouted. The tall alpha lunged forward, but a small body stood in the way of his path. Kozume stared up at him, resolved in his stance. Tetsurou was taken aback at the Omega's assertiveness. He didn't hesitate to meet the Alpha's gaze.

"At least hear Tadashi's side of the story, first." At that, Tetsurou's lip twitched in fury. Yamaguchi closed his eyes, exhaling.

"The last person I talked to was a Beta," Yamaguchi said thoughtfully. Suddenly his entire face lit up, gasping. His eyes immediately connected with Kozume's.

"Kozume, I found Tsukki! I found Kei!" Yamaguchi said excitedly.

Kozume's eyes widened, "The one who disappeared?"

"Yes! It's him!" he shouted excitedly.

Tetsurou raised a brow, "That guy? You mean the guy you had Kozume search for when you first met?" His tone was still gruff with anger and frustration. Kozume nodded.

"If it wasn't for his disappearance, we would have never met," the Omega said softly. Tetsurou still remained skeptical.

"You said he was a Beta? Where'd you find him?" he asked.

"Yeah, he's a Beta. I was walking back from the convenience store when I found him pretty much passed out on the street."

"You found him on the street?! Where the hell is he now?" Tetsurou demanded.

"He's back at our apartment. The guy couldn't even stand on his own. I had to support him all the way back," Yamaguchi replied. The crinkles on the bridge of Tetsurou's nose returned.

"Then that scent...that scent must have come from him." It was hard for the Alpha to breathe too deeply, for even now he was still being overwhelmed by the aroma. Inside his psyche, his thoughts were in disarray. It was if the scent, at its foundation, was attempting to undermine his own. He couldn't quite describe it. Breathing it in seriously tampered with his sense of reality, as if he was standing right on the threshold of a black hole. It was absolutely maddening. "Do you realize how dangerous that is? What if he had done something to you? And, there's no way that guy's a Beta. Think about how it sounds! It's obvious that he was in heat when you found him!"

"Nothing happened and I know for a fact he would _never_ do something like that," Yamaguchi's toned lowered, a solemn expression falling across his face.

"He may have been your friend but to us, he's an absolute stranger. Playing weak or the victim is an obvious and common ploy. He could have easily been putting on a show just to lure you in," Tetsurou barked.

"It wasn't an act. Besides, what was I supposed to do? Leave him there?!" Yamaguchi cried.

"Yes!" Tetsurou clamored, shooting upward. "Or call the authorities! Don't just take it upon yourself! Suspicious people like that should be taken into custody and _then_ get help."

"First off, I'm an Alpha. Second, if he really was an Omega, do you think he would have been able to do anything in that state?" Yamaguchi exclaims, rolling his eyes. His brows furrowed defensively. "You don't even know the first thing about him!"

" _Listen_ , I don't care if you're walking around as freaking Jesus Christ or Mother fucking Teresa, you don't just let some random person into the place where you _live_. Did you forget that Kozume lives there too? Anything could happen. This isn't about Alpha or Omega, it's common sense! This is about a sense of self-preservation and responsibility."

"He's not some random person off the street!" Yamaguchi snarled. "He's my best friend. You'd ask me to just leave him there?!" Tetsurou winced. He didn't even know Yamaguchi was capable of snarling in regards to matters other than Kenma.

"That's right, he _was_ your best friend–nine years ago! He up and without a word, didn't he? Who knows what the hell he's been doing since then!"

"If you keep talking about him like he's some kind of stray dog with rabies, then we're going to have a problem."

"Are you _deaf_? We already have a problem. It doesn't matter if it was Mother Teresa doubled over on the sidewalk. That apartment is yours–both you and Kenma's–safe place. You should know more than anyone about Kenma's emotional needs. Please tell me how this psychotic idea got approved! I'm just trying to look out for the personal safety of both of you. Friend or not, just picking someone off the street like that is not rational."

Yamaguchi gritted his teeth, "He was sick. The guy could barely function. If I didn't help him, who knows what would've happened to him."

"That's because he was in _heat_."

"He's not a _fucking_ Omega!" Yamaguchi clamored. "God damn it Kuroo, I have no idea where you're even getting this crap! The guy doesn't even smell!"

Tetsurou blinked, "What?"

"You must be on crack or something because I couldn't even smell a single thing," Yamaguchi jeered. Tetsurou was absolutely stunned.

"Tadashi, that's taking it a little too far," Kenma murmured. At the sound of his mate's voice, Yamaguchi's body softened to slack, but his eyes remained fierce as ever.

Ever since he was a kid, Tetsurou had always been hypersensitive to smell, particularly the pheromones that were produced by scent glands. Inevitably, he'd been made to endure years of specialized and intensified scent-training. It was so rigorous that he often times came home and was unable to think or move. There was simply too much stimulation to his senses. Essentially, he was forced to override his instinctual response. After having done that, a whole new world opened up to him. Once past the triggers of the sexual and reproductive need, it was like learning a whole new language. That which had been previously overwhelmed was now detectable. There was much to be learned about the human pheromone. However, there had never been a time when there was something that only he could smell. At least, not to this degree, to the point where the scent was completely invisible. He was extraordinary when it came to dissecting the subtleties in the scents of others, but this was concerning.

_It was the Bermuda Triangle, indeed._

"You mean...you don't smell a thing?" Yamaguchi promptly shook his head. Tetsurou whipped around to Kenma. "You don't smell anything, either?"

"Sorry, Kuroo but...no, nothing," Kenma mumbled. Tetsurou's eyes grew fixated on the ground, dancing erratically.

Yamaguchi sighed, "Look, if you don't believe me, you're just going to have to come back with us and see for yourself."

"Pfft. Damn straight I'm coming back with you," Tetsurou snapped. "He could be waiting to jump you as soon as you get back." Yamaguchi let out a quiet huff of annoyance, though with his hand now wrapped around Kenma's there was unlikely to be any more violent outbursts. Tetsurou sauntered behind them the whole way, feeling somewhat defeated–not to mention, by an enemy he couldn't even see.

"You know," Yamaguchi began. "Back in senior high, not a lot of people considered Tsukki a 'good' person."

"Oh?" Tetsurou hummed.

"I've been friends with him for a long time. He was notorious for being the time that didn't care about anything, especially other people's feelings."

"Wow, what a _real_ stand up guy," Tetsurou grumbled. "I feel so much better about it now."

"It wasn't exactly the truth though. Thinking about it always takes me back to when we first met," Yamaguchi said. A smile cracked across his face, chuckling lightly. "I was getting bullied by a couple of other boys and he stopped, looked at the group with such an aloof expression and spat out 'Pathetic.'"

"I don't really see how that matches up with the previous statement...?"

"This is exactly what I'm talking about. He's so easily misunderstood. Back then, I couldn't help but admire him when he said that. He had the guts to at least say something where as I just sat there and took it. He does care about people, just in his own way."

"I see," Tetsurou replied thoughtfully. He started to see some striking similarities between Yamaguchi's childhood friend and his own. It was no wonder they had such a harmonious bond. Before Yamaguchi came, Tetsurou was the only one who was able to understand Kenma's cryptic behavior. When they first started dating, he was worried the lack of communication on Kenma's part would be detrimental to the relationship. He was surprised when the two hit it off without a hitch.

"If I hadn't met Tsukki, then I'd be ashamed to call myself an Alpha right now. He's the one who helped me grow a spine," Yamaguchi said. Tetsurou started to get an inkling of understanding of where Yamaguchi was coming from, but he still couldn't dispel his doubts. If anything, hanging around someone like that would've certainly overpowered him, and Yamaguchi would've never known it.

"And the last time you saw him?" Tetsurou asked.

"Nine years ago," Yamaguchi replied tentatively.

"Did he give you any clue as to what he's been up to for the past decade?"

Yamaguchi gritted his teeth, "It doesn't matter what's happened up until now. He's alive, at least. We can catch up on the details once he's feeling better."

"So he just gets to disappear and reappear in your life at his own convenience?" There was a sharp edge to Tetsurou's tone. He did not like the idea of such a dubious character having a strong influence in their lives.

"It wasn't convenient for him, that's for sure."

Tetsurou's gaze narrowed, "What do you mean?"

" _You're_ the police officer, you tell me. You see it all the time right?" Yamaguchi craned his head around to glance at the tall Alpha.

"See what?"

"The look in someone's eyes that tells you every single day of their life has been absolute hell," Yamaguchi deadpanned. Tetsurou winced, knowing that was one thing he saw way too frequently.

"That's why you did it? Pity?"

"Whatever happened to him out there, he didn't deserve it. He's not a bad person," Yamaguchi protested.

"Sometimes good people will do bad things if the circumstances are right, Tadashi." Both Yamaguchi and Tetsurou turned immediately to face the dyed blonde, surprised by his sudden interjection. For once, Tetsurou was not staring down at his game-player or phone. Instead, his gaze was focused on the ground. "I think we're all an example of that. Everyone wants to win and no one wants to lose."

"You can't have a winner without a loser," Tetsurou murmured.

"Exactly," Kenma echoed in approval. "In life, there's no redo or retries. Game over is game over. Just staying in the game is the hardest part. If you're not playing, then you can't win."

"'There's no such thing as a match you can definitely win or a match you'll win for sure.'" Yamaguchi paused, "One of our coaches in our volleyball club once said that to us, I believe." Kenma nodded absent-mindedly in response. The rest of the trip proceeded in silence. When they finally came to their door, Tetsurou almost gagged. There was a lingering cloud that dumbfounded him. What had him so frustrated was that he was the only one who seemed to be having a problem. Every step he took was stiff. All the training he'd received was telling him the most logical solution would be to run the opposite way. 

"Oh, Kuroo, that reminds me," Kenma began. "We still have your coat that you left the other day. Tadashi washed it for you."

"Ahh, thank god. This jacket hasn't been cutting it at night, thanks." His reply was hurried and rushed, given that he was preoccupied. At least, the odor would finally take a face. As Yamaguchi opened the door, Tetsurou braced himself.

"Tsukki! I'm back," Yamaguchi called, leaving the door open for Tetsurou and Kenma to pass through. "He was near asleep on the couch before I left. He's probably out cold by now." Tetsurou nodded a curt reply. He wasn't keen on having to open his mouth any more than he had to. It was if he had walked into a sauna full of it. They followed Yamaguchi into the section that was designated as their living room, though the freckled Alpha was already leaps and bounds ahead of the two. "Kenma!" he shouted. It was a shrill cry that caused the duo both to cringe. The petite Omega instinctively started off toward Yamaguchi, but Tetsurou quickly grabbed his arm. He shook his head, warning him to stay back.

Suddenly, Yamaguchi came running out of the living room, a look of dread befalling his face.

"Kuroo, Kenma," he panted. "He's gone again. I can't find him anywhere. He's gone." Tetsurou blinked, feeling a chill shoot up his spine. "He was really sick. He shouldn't even be moving."

"Yeah, I think he is sick, Yamaguchi. Sounds to me like he's sick in the head," Tetsurou replied, a little sourer than he intended.

"You're the one who's psycho, Kuroo. How could you even say that right now?!" Yamaguchi's nostrils flared animatedly. Kenma writhed away from Tetsurou's grasp, offering a soothing touch to the Alpha's cheeks.

"It's okay, Tadashi. He couldn't have gotten far. We'll find him," he cooed.

"But...but what if Kuroo was right? What if he really is an Omega? If he's in heat..." Yamaguchi's eyes frantically searched Kenma's pensively. Kenma pulled away, walking over to the nearby countertop and pulled out his computer.

"I'll check the security cameras of the building," Kenma said, beginning to type away at a monstrous speed.

"Let's check the house to see if he took anything," Tetsurou added. "If he did, it would give us a clue as to where he's going next." Yamaguchi gave a small nod, though he was clearly reluctant to comply with anything Tetsurou suggested at the moment. The black haired Alpha took to investigating some of the more obvious places while Yamaguchi took to the nooks and crannies. As he did so, a frown came across his face. To him, everything looked exactly the same as when he had seen their house last. Whoever this 'Tsukki' was, he was good.

Tetsurou walked over to the door, inspecting the lock.

"Did you lock the place before you left?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah, of course I did." Yamaguchi huffed, still sensitive from the previous argument.

"Weird," Tetsurou breathed. If he had tampered with the lock, it would have been damaged. However, there wasn't even a gear out of place. "That means...he didn't use the door," he pondered aloud. Immediately after, his eyes widened in realization. "Kenma! Check the footage from the street cameras across the street!" The dyed blonde raised an eyebrow at the request. "Just trust me on this. I don't think he left using the door. I think he went out through the patio."

"I'm not doubting you. There's just a massive amount of footage I would have to sort through. It's been over an hour and a half since Yamaguchi left to come meet us. It would take forever to sort through that," Kenma returned.

"What about facial recognition?"

"Can't do it without a picture," Kenma pointed out. Tetsurou cursed under his breath. "Besides, if he didn't want to be seen by the cameras, it's unlikely that we'd even catch a single glimpse of him.

"I have a photo of the two of us from our first year in high school," Yamaguchi piped up.

Kenma shrugged, "It's better than nothing." Yamaguchi ran to the wall that opened up to the door. They waited for a victorious gasp, but it never came. Yamaguchi remained standing in front of the wall, searching it in a frenzy.

"They're gone," Yamaguchi whispered. "Both of the pictures...they're both gone."

Kenma's brows shot up, "The photos on the wall?"

"The one of my team together and the one of Tsukki and I."

Tetsurou narrowed his eyes, "Looks like he did take something." No one said it, but an air of understanding fell upon the room. 'Tsukki' didn't want to be found. He did everything in his power to ensure that no one would even be able to follow after him. Their silence was interrupted by the chirping of his cellphone ringer. Normally he would've thought to ignore it, but given the caller ID, he didn't even dare think about it. "This is Kuroo," he greeted, bringing the phone to his ear.

"It's Sawamura. Are you with Yamaguchi right now?" Daichi demanded.

"Yeah, I'm with Kenma. We're at his apartment," Tetsurou replied. He turned to Kenma, mouthing 'It's Daichi' wordlessly.

"Turn on the Television right now and go to the News channel," he said forcefully.

"Calm down, I'm going, I'm going." Tetsurou motioned for someone to get him the remote, and Yamaguchi brought it to him swiftly. He turned on the TV and followed Daichi's directions. The face of a reporter appeared on the screen.

" _–sinessman Shirabu Kenjirou-san of Ushijima & Associates, an establishment presumed to be affiliated with the infamous Shitei Bouryokudan Shiratorizawa-kai, suffered a single bullet wound to the neck. There have been speculations as to whether or not the injury was a result of a failed assassination attempt of Ushijima Wakatoshi-san, the director for both Ushijima & Associates and Shiratorizawa-kai–_"

"Are you seeing this?" Daichi asked gravely through the phone.

"Unfortunately," Tetsurou grumbled.

" _–was rushed to the hospital within thirty minutes of receiving the injury and is currently undergoing surgery. Shirabu-san was last reported to be in critical condit–_ "

Tetsurou promptly turned off the television, sighing into the phone.

"Kuroo," Daichi began.

"I already know what you're about to say," he mumbled. "It's the middle of the night, Daichi-san. I mean seriously."

"This can't wait until morning. Bring whoever else you're with, get that techno-cat a coffee, and head over. We need you both here at the office as soon as possible." Tetsurou groaned in response.

"Yes sir," he replied tepidly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OHohoho.
> 
> Now I know what you're thinking. "This turned into trope #1283428934" but I promise, that won't be the case...haha. I can't wait to introduce the rest of Kuroo and Kenma's team. They've all pretty much got their own quirks.
> 
> Kuroo is #2 dad after Daichi and would be the #1 friend since he is 'always this kind'. He deserves more love and respect. He's just trying to look out for his family. That being said, note that none of the comments Kuroo made about Tsukki's scent were sexual. Strictly chaste, please and thank you. There's more than one way to think about a scent.
> 
> ANYWAYS...thank you all so much for reading! Again, I'm so shocked! As I said in the pre-notes, please please PLEASE leave feedback in the comments! Anything is so very helpful, you have no idea.


	4. The Echo's Smokescreen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, the smell of internal emotional turmoil. Kei was just trying to go to the convenience store...why is his life like this? Oh well. At least he has a new plan, thanks to one Tendou Satori.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, let me just thank you all so much for all the wonderful support I've been getting on this story. I had never expected people to like it so much. I'm ABSOLUTELY BEYOND ECSTATIC that everyone is enjoying it!
> 
> But the pressures on now...oh good grief. I'm trying to make every chapter as good as the last so please bear with me as I try my best. <3
> 
> Again, I simply can't thank you all enough. I've been able to smile nearly every day this week because of this story, and I have more gratitude than what words will allow me to say.

# The Echo's Smokescreen

* * *

 

 

Insatiable. If there was one word to describe his heat, it was that. A cruel, torturing need for something that will never be attainable. When he was younger, Kei was able to satisfy himself on his own. It was for nothing but to relieve his own stress. It served as a placebo for years. As time went on, it was no longer enough. Even the slightest touch would only widen the gap between his wishful thinking and the alternative.

What was it like for someone like Kei? It was needing, needing, needing, and _needing_ something so much that you wouldn't be able to continue on otherwise, just like thirst or starvation. During his heat, the desire for both emotional and physical contact was not just some accessory. If he didn't fulfill that need, his lungs would implode, his heart would stop, and he might as well have a fucking aneurysm. He needed it as much as he needed oxygen. It decimated and tormented his psyche, whisking away the beloved logic he cherished so much.

It was needing something so much that he could die and knowing that there was no one,  _no one_ , that would or could ever need him. That was the killing blow. Although, the only time he'd realize it was when he was just lucid enough to fully concede that he was alone on this earth and just lucid enough that it would stay with him for days, sometimes even weeks, long after. Even hearts of stone could crack if they were hit hard enough. Raging hormones was really all it took to send his sanity off the edge.

And three months later, instinct would force him to die all over again. All silently, of course. What kind of waste of space would he be if he woke the neighbors?

Kei now found himself coiled tightly into fetal position, surrounded by the dampness of his own sweat. The biological monster had been circling around him for four days, crippling him.

The night he had met with Yamaguchi he had managed to wander his way back to the ramshackle apartment he owned. The place wasn't falling apart, just cramped. With the way that Kei was, it hardly looked like anyone lived there at all.

Yamaguchi, the friend he hadn't seen a glimpse of in nine years.

It unsettled him knowing that his past wasn't as far away as he thought. 

What's more, even with the madness around them, Yamaguchi hadn't forgotten him. He was sure, almost positive, that he would have by now. It reminded him that he was still very much alive. Kei was alive. _Alive_. He wasn't just a passing breeze, the kind that touches you at the moment but sinks into oblivion soon after.

And yet, the freckled one hadn't asked him a single question. The once anxious teen had taken him under his wing without hesitation, just like he would a brother. And for that, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't look him in the eyes.

These thoughts only made the loneliness that swelled in his stomach grow bigger. Even though he was alive, he wasn't needed. He was the kind chill that was resented, the one where people would rejoice as soon as it left. He was alive and alone.

It spread through him like a disease, wrapping its lethal claws around his heart. Kei was a number of things, but being human was first and foremost. That alone was an albatross around his neck.

By the time he got in, night had already passed and the sun was high in the sky. Kei fell into a deep sleep for the next three days.

On the fourth day, he woke up. His brain activated with a sort of jaded enthusiasm. Accompanied by days old bodily aches, the usual thoughts came to him.

 _Retreat. Safety. Hunger. Thirst. Warmth. Nest. Sleep_...and a certain ' _Need_.'

The ongoing cycle ruminated within his head, though he didn't bother to shove them away. They'd only cease when the needs were met or until the heat itself died. Neither of which were anytime in the near future. All efforts were futile.

The hotness of his breath ricocheted against the floor, blowing back against his face. His cheek was flattened against the ground, obscuring the vision in his left eye.

With a groan, he reached an arm forward. The blurry mesh of his fingers came into view as he surveyed the floor for his glasses. The further he reached away, the more his pale hand seemed to disappear into the floor. If it hadn't been for his thick dark frames, Kei would have never found them.

In his empty house, the first thing that jumped out at him were the two frames lying on the floor, formerly belonging to Yamaguchi. He took them to protect himself, but now he has no clue as to what to do with them. Kei didn't want to touch them. He had no right to. Therefore, he simply left them.

The hormones had blocked out all the important objectives from his frontal lobe and replaced them with ones created from instinct. Kei couldn't think like this. Staying here any longer without a plan made him a sitting duck. For someone like Kei, who currently had a target the size of the Sun on his back, the situation was suboptimal. There wasn't much he was able to do about it, not unless he got some suppressants.

He opened his eyes a little wider. There was a convenience store down the street. Kei could get in and out of there quickly and return to formulate his plans. It was as good a plan as any.

The Omega slowly roused himself and found that he was unsteady on his feet. He grabbed a handful of cash with a trembling hand, not even bothering to check the amount. All of it was very much unlike him. Before leaving, he threw on his navy coat, but he had already wilted before he left the premises. The coat wasn't nearly as warm as the own Yamaguchi had lent him. He silently cursed the fact that he was forced to leave it behind.

It was early morning when he left his apartment and there was still a crispness in the air. The environment around him was frigid. Passing cars sent more brisk waves of wind his way. 

The blonde's amble was horribly irregular. He sacrificed being able to walk in a straight line in order to form coherent thoughts.

That was when Kei passed him. The man had crimson hair the color of blood, slicked back so that it stood erect. He had an elongated, thin mouth with a puckered upper lip. Although he was tall, he slouched in a way that tipped his whole body forward at an odd angle. Despite that, Kei could tell that there was no doubt he was just as tall as he was. His eyebrows were small, hanging high above his lidded eyes. The man looked halfway content and halfway bored.

He had seen his profile before when he had done research on Shiratorizawa-kai, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember the name. Kei blamed it on the heat, though there was one thing he did know.  If it wasn't for his eccentric behavior and virtually non-existent likability, he would've been made a Saiko-komon in an instant.

Kei did his best not to stare, but it didn't help any. The red-haired man decided he would come to him.

He peered at Kei as he walked, eyes gradually squinting further.

"Hmmm," he heard the man hum in question, though Kei didn't stop. He had thought his lack of response would have deflected the man's interest, but the conclusion proved false.

Just as Kei passed an opening between two shops, he was body checked into the darkness of the alleyway. His eyes shot open in bewilderment. The blonde's glasses hung loosely off his face and he quickly worked to adjust them. Suddenly, wide eyes appeared inches from his face. Kei scowled at him.

"You know, I just happen to be feeling one-hundred-and-twenty percent today." The nostrils of the red-haired man flared as he drew closer to Kei's scent glands. For a moment, the blonde froze. Every muscle in his body clenched, preparing to lash out.  "Are you an Omega, by any chance?" The red-haired man was so close that he could see the individual hairs that made up his eyebrows.

Kei simply clicked his tongue in response. The man straightened his spine, standing at his full height. With Kei on the ground, he towered over him. The blonde made no move to get up, however. Since he's unable to identify the secondary sex of others by scent, he relied on inferences made from certain patterns of behavior. These patterns were hardly obvious. Actually, the more subtle they were, the bigger of a giveaway, since it was buried that much deeper in the person's subconscious. This was especially true for those who preferred to hide their secondary sex. 

Kei's body slumped against the building's wall. He simply didn't have the strength. Though now that he was sitting down, it was easier for him to think.

"Sorry Megane-kun, that was quite rude of me, wasn't it?" The apology had a strange tone. It was more curiously amused than sincere. He threw his head back. "How do I put this?" The red-haired man thought for a moment, then swung his whole upper body forward, hands still in the pockets of his jacket. His face returned to being uncomfortably close to Kei's. "It's like you go in, expecting something to be there, but there's nothing. I could almost imagine it, almost _taste_ it, but the air is still empty. So why is my better judgment still trying to tell me otherwise?" The red-haired man cocked his head that, tearing into Kei with his steady gaze.

At that moment, he decided that he was likely as good at reading people as Kei was, maybe even better.

Kei had learned the signs for when someone was emitting large amounts of pheromones. Certain muscles of their body flared while others tensed. He was weak in the knees from heat, but he was in no way ready to fully submit. His steadfast gaze was completely dull, making it all the more insulting. The man's antics hadn't even touched him. Then he saw the familiar material of a scent patch peak out from underneath the hem of his clothing. The possibility of him being a Beta was pretty much ruled out.

"The good ones don't cry and they don't ask why," the ginger mused. Kei dared to click his tongue, though he attempted to muffle it with his lips. "Pfft," the other scoffed. His lids lifted fully, displaying the glaring whites of his eyes. The unblinking gaze startled him, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand erect.

"You're not afraid," the red-haired man murmured like it was a revelation. "You're weak, but you're not afraid." Kei pointedly let his gaze fall to the man's neck, right where he had seen a glimpse of the scent patches earlier. His next words were a dangerous gamble.

"Should I have any reason to be?" The red-haired man grabbed a hold of his blonde locks, holding him against the wall of the shop. His eyes lowered into thin slits, lips pressing into a thin line. Kei's expression remained unchanging.

The red-haired one's gaze flickered between Kei and the convenience store down the block.

"Trying to get suppressants?" the man jeered. "Are you in heat?"

"And if I was?" Kei muttered. His eyes widened a fraction to show that he wasn't backing down. The red-haired man's brow twitched.

"Such a pretty neck there," he sneered.

Kei boldly raised a brow, "What's it to you?" The ginger's wide eyes descended into slits once again.

"You've got spirit, which pisses me off, but I like it. That pisses me off even more." The man released the blonde fringe he had in his grasp. "What's your name kid?"

"What's it to you?" Kei grumbled. He figured this much was safe. As long as he was on the floor, the other would still be able to maintain a level of superiority. The man looked at him blankly for a moment.

"You're pretty amusing," he scoffed. "Looks like you got some pretty shit pickings in life."

"Nothing I never made it through," Kei deadpanned. The red one outright bellowed.

"Don't you want to know my name?" the man asked eagerly, searching the blonde's face.

"No."

The other groaned, "Oh, you are so not cute. Amusing, but totally not cute." Kei let his lashes droop over his eyes, which was his equivalent of a shrug. The man crouched down to his level, resting his arms on his knees. "The name's Tendou Satori."

Tendou Satori. Kei knew the name alright, but he dared not let the recognition show on his face. All the research he had done was flooding back to him. Tendou Satori, jack of all trades, infamous arsonist, and the man Shira-souke-kai only let off the leash when they were backed into a corner.

Kei couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride in his chest at that, though the trouble that was yet to come would surely outweigh the self-gratification he felt.

Tendou whipped out a lighter, flipping it open right before Kei's eyes. The flame ignited almost instantly. The man's attention went from Kei to the fire.

"You know what they told me when I was a kid? They said 'stay in your lane' or 'go back to where you belong.' That never bothered me much. After all, I was one freakish _Omega_. But you know what?" The man asked, tipping the lighter towards Kei. "I never felt like I had to change myself to meet their ideals. You know why?"

Every time he asked a rhetorical question, Kei internally cringed.

"Because even though I was a freak, monster, mutant, whatever, there was no one else in this world that was like me. I was pretty damn proud of that."

"Well isn't that nice," Kei whispered dryly. Hearing his suspicions confirmed made him free to use more snark than he had been before.

The red Omega's lip twitched, "Well it was, but it didn't matter how proud of it I was, or whether or not I accepted it. It didn't change the fact that because of that, loneliness was able to set it." The Kei who was currently all too fragile flinched at Tendou's words. The red Omega snickered in response. "If my senses are correct, I'd say you've got a similar problem, ne?"

 _Well, he's not wrong._  Kei groaned inwardly. He never wanted his inner thoughts to shut up more. The hormones were making him all too susceptible to the influence of his words.

"I used to sit watching a lighter for hours," Tendou continued. "Just looking into the open flame. If this is your only weapon," he said, shaking the lighter. "Why would you ever try to snuff it out?"

"Fire burns people, Tendou-san."

"And their cold stares don't?" Tendou asked. Kei's lashes fluttered, blinking a little faster than normal. The crimson Omega smirked, knowing that he had hit his mark. "All you have is your fire, Megane-kun, and the place you need it to reach." Tendou flipped the cap back onto the lighter, but he did not back away from Kei's face. Instead, he invaded his personal space even further. "Rather than taming your demons, it's better to keep 'em on a tight leash."

Kei wasn't sure what he did that made him worthy of being told Tendou's entire life story, but he hated the feeling of being examined. He much preferred for things to be the other way around. The blonde's eyes wandered to his destination which lied beyond Tendou. He'd have to pass this hurdle if he was going to get anywhere. Not to mention, he didn't fancy sticking around with an inner member of Shira-souke-kai, especially since he happened to be guilty of crimes against them.

"So, Megane-kun, what do you say?"

"Ha?" Kei rasped.

"I happened to be in a business where someone like you could be pretty valuable. You don't seem like the type to break easily."

Kei mentally choked on that statement. The irony of the situation could have him laughing all the way into the next century.

Yeah, in that 'business' of Tendou's, Kei was certainly valuable. He bet there was a pretty generous price on his head too. He was currently reaping the results of his work and the lengths he took to conceal his identity, and it was playing out beautifully. Despite that, his legs were still itching to run. His heartbeat wouldn't settle until he was light years away. The fear that seized him at the beginning of their conversation had never really disappeared.

He felt the need to slap himself across the face. His instincts were what told him to escape, to get as far away from the conflict as possible. He still didn't want to touch that mess. There was not a single good thing that could come of it. The astute Omega now realized that he had only been disillusioned, that his instincts had slyly disguised itself as logic. That was not logic, but running blindly without looking back. It was the instinctual response that came with an Omega's disposition: flight.

 _What was I thinking of doing?_ he asked himself calmly. _Once I had gotten the suppressants, what would I have done? Run?_

He hadn't trusted his instincts a single day in his entire life.

Assuming that he wanted to get away, they would look for him in the very last places they would expect him to be. They might very well find him. However, that assumption was wrong. They would look for him at the furthest possible points from Shiratorizawa-kai because that is what any 'wise' person would do. Kei would certainly argue that a move like that isn't the result of intelligence, it's the result of caution. Rather than smart, it was safe.

The point of working to preserve his identity as Hibiki was to conceal his true self, making sure that no one had a clue as to who he really was. Kei was formless. He could become anything or anyone he needed to be in order to survive. Being able to fluidly change his shape is what gave him power. As years passed, he had become adept at fabricating his identity. Ironically, it was only due to his strong sense of character that he was able to do so.

There was a time when a moment like this would have never crossed Kei's mind.

Thinking about it rationally, the last place they would expect him to be was right smack dab in the middle of Shira-souke-kai, and that's exactly where he'd be. His small mouth curled into a faint grin.

It was settled. He would shroud himself in a cloud of smoke so thick that the eyes of all who came looking would be burned.

He glanced up into Tendou's glittering, manic eyes.

"What's your name, Megane-kun?" Tendou asked again, all the more enthusiastically after seeing the look in his eyes.

"I don't have one," Kei muttered.

"I was right, you really _are_ amusing," the red Omega cackled. "We can think of one later." Tendou stood up, bouncing onto his feet.

"I still have to go to the convenience store," he said frankly.

Tendou crossed his arms, "Suppressants are bad for your body." Kei had known that he hadn't said it out concern. It was a warning. His body was the only thing that was his partner in survival. Subjecting himself to something that could possibly change that was dangerous.

However, Tendou himself was also dangerous. Kei knew firsthand how dangerous the yakuza could be. He had been the cause of much of that danger himself.

Kei knew how to fight when the ice beneath him was thin.

The blonde omega gritted his teeth, reluctantly nodding his acceptance. Weak in the knees, Kei attempted to stand. He quickly moved to catch himself on the wall. The circulating thoughts came back to him again.

 _Retreat. Safety. Hunger. Thirst. War–_ he cut it off swiftly, pushing it to the back of his thoughts for the time being. The blonde glanced over at the ginger, who was beaming darkly at him, and winced. The look was absolutely an eerie form of happiness.

 

"Welcome to the gokudou, Megane-kun," Tendou grinned. Kei defensively brought his shoulders together.

"How about we get out of this shithole, then we can talk," he mumbled.

"You got a phone?"

"No."

"Suppose we'll have to get you one then," Tendou replied. His face assumed the expression it had when they first passed each other. Kei walked behind the red-haired Omega, allowing him to lead. This in itself was a test. The blonde was trusting the ginger's path, while the ginger trusted that the blonde wouldn't run up and stab him in the back. 

It was the first of many that he had yet to face.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My hand slipped. Whoops. None of this was supposed to happen...this chapter was supposed to have Kuroo's POV. Instead, you all got this. YEP.
> 
> Kei is definitely not afraid to take some risks oh boy. But seriously...maybe you should have taken that coat with you. ;)
> 
> Tendou is actually precious. You will see. Don't even fight me on this subject. But he and Kei would make good colleagues. XD
> 
> I bet you guys are anxious about when Kuroo and Tsukki are going to meet but do not fear! I honestly keep having to remind myself that this is only the third chapter but I feel like so much has already happened.
> 
> As always, comments and feedback are always appreciated! That's what helps me write best. :D I'd love to hear some input on what you all think is going to happen next as well!
> 
> I hope everyone is having an amazing night/day!!
> 
> ~obryzii


	5. Idea of You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (A/N: Don't worry, all hearts are safe. This chapter is pretty chill.) The only thing that Kuroo is better at than having a natural bed head is procrastinating on work. Looks like it's time to start cleaning up the mess Tsukishima made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ended up splitting this chapter. It was actually supposed to be two times as long, but my brain just couldn't do it. I'm about as sleep deprived as Kuroo at the moment.
> 
> Big thanks to Expresso/Queenie for becoming my therapist.
> 
> This chapter is pretty relaxed, so rest assured. It feels pretty content packed to me though, so let me know if anything got confusing!
> 
> As always, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE CONTINUED SUPPORT! You all are the reason I continue to write this story and nothing makes me happier than to know that it has made you all happy.
> 
> I hope you've had a great week and enjoy this chapter!

# Idea of You

* * *

 

 

"...o."

"...roo."

"Kuroo," a smooth voice called. Tetsurou jolted himself awake, fumbling frantically with his limbs.

"DaichiIdidn'tdrinkyourcoffeeIswear," he huffed, already prepared for the worst. His protest was immediately greeted by a laugh. The Alpha blinked, wide-eyed. As the warnings of danger subsided within, so did his breathing. "Ah, it's just you."

Sugawara sent him a charming smirk, "What's this about Daichi's coffee?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I said nothing, you heard nothing, we both know nothing." Sugawara laughed again in response.

"Kuroo, how long have you been awake?"

"Wait, sorry, explain the concept of time to me again?" He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I'd say...three days, maybe four? 'Bout the same as everyone else." Tetsurou slowly rotated his head, taking in his surroundings.

"Don't worry, we haven't dragged you down to the labs–yet. Ennoshita and I just came to visit Daichi, but it seems I just missed him." Sugawara said, answering the question he had yet to ask.

"The hell? You look like an open autopsy," Ennoshita deadpanned.

"I don't know what you're talking about, I feel fucking  _fabulous,_ " Tetsurou groaned. "That reminds me..." He pulled his now cursed coat from the floor and thrust it towards the Beta. "Take it."

"If this is your way of asking for a courtship..."

"NO! God, no." Tetsurou's protest was accompanied by a snicker from Sugawara's direction. "I came across something...interesting, a couple days ago."

"This conversation is getting more uncomfortable by the second."

"Do you smell anything?" Tetsurou asked. Ennoshita hesitantly brought the fabric to his nose.

"Your scent...but only a little bit of it, surprisingly." The Beta passed the coat onto Sugawara, who took a whiff himself. His lips pressed into a thin line.

"Sorry Kuroo, I pretty much have the same answer for you," Sugawara shook his head. At that, Tetsurou scowled. "Why? Do you smell something strange?" The silver-haired Omega handed his coat back to him, and the raven-haired Alpha accepted it scornfully.

"The thing stinks to high heaven," he growled. Sugawara was taken aback immediately.

"Stinks? Stinks how?"

"Well, an Omega was wearing it," he muttered.

"Okay, that's enough. I did _not_ need to know that."

"That's not what I meant, damn it!" Tetsurou protested, clearly flustered.

"Well then what _did_ you mean?" Sugawara asked, raising a brow.

"Another one," he replied simply.

"What do you mean?" Ennoshita asked. Tetsurou made elaborate gestures with his hands, attempting to give the idea shape.

"Another...another irregular," he finally spat out. The Beta's eyes lit up immediately. Although he wasn't smiling, it was definitely out of excitement. The silver-haired Omega joined him in the anticipation.

"What were they like?" he prompted.

Tetsurou grimaced, "Disorienting." Both Sugawara and Ennoshita vibrated with enthusiasm, waiting for his next words. "So are you going to hold me down till I tell you all the details?" he sighed with disdain. Sugawara flicked a pale wrist, checking the time on his wristwatch.

"You know what, I don't think we're going to have time," he said with a frown. "But we are not dropping this topic of conversation, understand? You're going to have to head down to the office sooner or later, so you can just get it over with and tell me then." Sugawara had a triumphant glint in his eye as he grinned. "Unless you'd rather us come to you, of course."

"You don't have to!" Tetsurou immediately protested. "Really, I can go on my on time!" Sugawara sent him a dubious glare. "No, I'll come. I swear! You don't have to come back here!" His voice shook nervously at the thought of the doctors staying around any longer than necessary.

Call him crazy all you'd like, but those two were the absolute last people you wanted observing you while you work. They have faces of angels, sure, but on the inside, they are _the physical incarnation of the antichrist and all evils._  Albeit, it was pretty deep inside, but it was still there. They may be a Beta and an Omega, but that didn't mean Tetsurou was interested in stepping up to their chopping block _anytime_ soon.

"Good," Sugawara smiled cheekily. "We'll see you soon then, Kuroo-san." Everyone else in the room knew to keep their head down, avoiding eye contact with them as they left.

When Tetsurou was sure they were gone, he let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The mood in the room seemed to relax as well. The raven-haired Alpha leaned back in his chair, bringing the coat to his nose once more.

"God, this _reeks,_ " Tetsurou muttered under his breath. The bridge of his nose distorted in wrinkles. Even after it being several days, the foreign smell didn't subside. Inhaling shallowly, he breathed in a bit of the aroma. He then quickly placed the coat back on the rack far away from the desk. Tetsurou was all too experienced in dealing with sensory overload. The training he had gone through as a child wasn't a one time deal. He would and had continued to use the skills he learned in all the years that followed.

The key was frequent but minimal exposure over long periods of time. After each time, the dose should increase. Any more and the brain would be overwhelmed. Any less and there wouldn't be any progress.

This was the exact method that Tetsurou used for the scent of 'Tsukki' as Yamaguchi called him. According to Yamaguchi, he had given the coat– _his_ coat, damn it–to the Omega as a blanket, leaving Tetsurou all kinds of annoyed.

At the very least, it served as a wonderful distraction for the work that he was _actually_ supposed to be doing.

Following the event that was referred to as the 'Shinjuku Shooting,' their office had been swamped. The two groups that were involved, Shiratorizawa-kai and Aoba Johsai-rengo-kai, were in disarray. The lower sub-groups were duking out their issues on the street, immediately pointing both fingers and guns in the other's direction. Night violence spiked and bitterness swelled.

It was like someone grabbed the bag, infected every single cat with rabies, and let them all out straight into cold water. It wasn't a very gentle procedure either.

It was safe to say that now was a suboptimal (more like hellish) time to be working in organized crime.

While the initial unrest had been somewhat quelled, Tetsurou and his team were then faced with one mountain of a problem: finding the shooter. They've been at it for days now, and still nothing. Both the media and Ushijima & Associates was breathing hot air down their necks. He couldn't even recall how long he's been sitting at his desk. Not to mention, he was sure he saw everyone fall asleep in their chairs last night, though that's if they weren't already fixated on pulling yet another all-nighter. Not a single one of them have been home in the past couple days with the exception of Kenma of course, whose home came to him.

Yamaguchi had been in and out of the office several times a day ever since the two of them were called back in for work. Whenever Tetsurou caught a glimpse of his face, he saw a thin veneer of stability. He could only wonder about the thoughts that were hastily hidden behind it. His best friend's sudden reappearance and disappearance was probably taking its toll.

The freckled Alpha stayed with Kenma whenever he could and as long as he could. The dyed blonde hardly gave him any attention as he hammered away at his keyboard, thoroughly absorbed in the screen in front of him. Although, that seemed to satisfy the little Omega. Just his mate's presence was soothing enough.

As for everyone else, tensions were running high.

With his mind desperate for a change of pace, he found that his thoughts drifted further and further from the Shinjuku Shooting, and closer and closer to the disappearance of 'Tsukki.'

What was strangest to Tetsurou was that whenever he smelled the scent, it was like smelling it for the first time. Every time he brought the coat up to his nose, he was rediscovering the anomaly all over again. His brain knew that the scent was there, but the moment he stepped away from it, it was gone. There was a lot to be said about someone's scent. In this society, their scent was their identity. More often than not, there was a certain quality about the smell that characterized the person it belonged to.

For Tetsurou, he was typically able to formulate a roughly sketched image of the scent's face in his mind. By dissecting the pheromones and evaluating them for what they really are as opposed to their superficial qualities, there was so much more he could learn about a person. 

But this scent...this shapeless, formless, and intoxicating scent had no face. A scent without a face was dangerous. The idea of it sent him instantly into defense mode. For someone who has always been able to understand, not to mention at a very high level, something that he couldn't comprehend was terrifying. It's never happened to him before.

To counteract that, he made his conclusions using everything _but_ Tsukki's scent. He avoided it like the plague. Tetsurou wasn't interested in the thought of heading into open waters and never coming back. He was not the type to let himself get caught into nature's trap. Yet, something deep inside him stirred. Being wholly captivated by something–other than his assigned work, that is–was a new experience for him. 

As for how he was going to deal with the issue, his brain only offered up horribly atrocious ideas.

 _Do it, Tetsurou. Search for him, Find him_ , a voice called. No, more like the voice  _demanded_ it. That voice is what brought him to his desk at this very moment. Despite the many times he told himself no to, Tetsurou had gathered the old case records from the online database anyway.

Sitting in front of him now, freshly printed, were all the documents pertaining to Tsukishima Kei's disappearance, neatly gathered into a file.

Tetsurou had told himself not to. He told himself not to go there. It should definitely be on the very bottom of his list of things to do. Hell, it shouldn't even be _on_ his list of things to do.

However, not a single warning or reprimand could null the fact that he simply just couldn't leave it be. He knew that once it's become like this, there'd be no walking away until the case was solved.

Tetsurou stared daggers at the file, watching it intently as if it might spontaneously combust. He dragged a hand down his face, massaging it.

_Just chalk it up to lack of sleep, Tetsurou. The cognitive impairment must be starting to set in._

_Throw it away._

That's what his thoughts said. That's what they said, but his hand was already on the file. Rather than moving it to the trash, he curiously flipped it open. He swore at the traitor underneath his breath.

Tetsurou took a glance at the documents and instantly became fully emersed in it.

Tsukishima Kei. He attended all the compulsory years of school. Not to mention, he was quite bright as well. He was the epitome of a model student: good grades, participated in club activities, played a team sport, and not a single disciplinary action had to be taken against him. Tetsurou snorted at some of the teachers' comments on the transcript. The kid was good and he damn well knew it.

That's what bothered him the most.

It wasn't as if he didn't have a future, which was the usual pattern they saw with most runaways. The school environment wasn't overly competitive and seemed to have a healthy atmosphere. The same went for the neighborhood as well.

In all the officers' statements and reports, they described him as having a very loving family, especially when it came to the brother. It seemed he was the most distraught at his younger brother's sudden disappearance. The Alpha winced when he caught a glance of Yamaguchi's name and proceeded to read his statement.

Thinking of the pain Yamaguchi had felt back then and was feeling now, he scowled. He wondered how it felt to leave everyone behind without a word. As they were all grasping at fraying threads of memories, when here the kid was, alive and well, and definitely competent enough to reach out to them. Until last week, they never found him. They never even got _close_ to finding him. 

All the interview subjects in each of the reports had given the same impression. It was if one day he just up and disintegrated. Well, after Tetsurou read the medical records from the school, _that_ idea didn't seem so absurd. While he was tall, his body mass index was always recorded on the cusp of being underweight.

"Geez, someone needs to feed this kid," he grumbled, moving onto the next page. The Alpha swallowed a thick ball of saliva down his throat as he caught sight of the kid's picture.

It was his yearbook photo from nine years ago. The photo was old, poorly printed, but he was able to put together a vague image in his mind. His features were both simultaneously soft and sharp with a look in his eyes that portrayed him as perpetually dispassionate and aloof. Even with the poor quality, he could tell he was attractive. Tetsurou didn't find him anything less than mesmerizing. He was incapable of understanding how someone who looked like that just 'disappeared.'

 _He could have even been a model,_ he mused. Subsequent to the thought, he clawed his arm as a reprimand for getting side-tracked.

Tetsurou closed his eyes, reviewing everything that he's absorbed so far. The case managers at the time had done it all to the book. He could tell they were good officers, and that they tried hard. They were thorough, hardly missing a beat. Everything was there.

If that's true, then why did he still feel like there was something missing? Surely there was something that they just hadn't seen, something he had yet to see as well.

The whole situation was far too clean to not have been planned. Nine years ago, it seemed everyone acknowledged that. Whether it was Kei himself, or a third-party, there was definitely something else going on, and it wasn't just done on a teenage whim. Tetsurou read further into the police statements, only to find that the case was colder than the south pole. A case like this fit right in with his MO. It wouldn't look all that out of place next to the ones that were still ongoing on his desk. All he needed was a little push.

Of course, one could argue that it was the absolute _last_ thing he needed.

Releasing a sigh of frustration, he closed the folder and leaned back in the chair. He was more than exhausted. With everything that's happened in the past week, a healthy sleep schedule became something imaginary, just wishful thinking.

Tetsurou turned his attention to the small LCD screen that had served as background noise for the past couple of hours.

 _"_... _Following up on the case earlier this week, twenty-six-year-old Shirabu Kenjirou-san, an affiliate of Ushijima & Associates, was the victim of a gunshot wound to the neck. Shirabu-san is alive but in critical condition after undergoing several surgeries. Media representatives on site were not given permission to enter the hospital where Shirabu-san is recovering. Ushijima & Associates has long been suspected of having ties to the Shitei Bouryokudan Shiratorizawa-kai. Law enforcement has since confirmed that the incident was connected to Bouryokudan activity and was likely the result of the failed merger between Shiratorizawa-kai and Aoba Johsai-rengo-kai. There has been bad blood between the two groups ev–"_

Suddenly, the power on the television was cut. Daichi stood in front of the TV, gripping the remote angrily. Tetsurou blinked a couple times out of surprise due to his return.

"Good God, why didn't anyone turn that shit off?" Daichi snapped. 

"Well, I'm still having a hard time grasping the fact that he survived," Tetsurou scoffed, lowering his eyelids.

Daichi shrugged, "There've been cases. Depends on where he was shot."

"Must be nice being married to a Doctor," he sneered.

Daichi pulled a tight grin onto his face, "Don't worry, I'm reminded every day."

"Well, this Shirabu-san's pretty damn lucky. It's rare someone makes a mistake like that," he deadpanned. "Honestly, it would have been easier if he just killed the guy. Now we have the media glued to our backs."

"Are they ever not?"

Tetsurou sighed, "You're right about that one." He let out an angered groan, spinning his desk chair in a circle.

"Kuroo-san, if you keep at that, you'll get nauseous." Another huff from Tetsurou's direction came in response.

"Akaashi, if you don't get your beauty sleep I doubt that charm of yours will continue to work," Kuroo snickered. The brunette's gaze broke, looking up from his work and straight into Tetsurou's eyes.

"True beauty doesn't need sleep," Akaashi replied seriously, without any question. Tetsurou bit his bottom lip, releasing a couple muffled sniggers. His chest vibrated with suppressed laughter.

"God damn it, Lev!" Yaku's voice suddenly cut through the air.

His eyes swung lazily to the scene. There was an agitated Yaku with his hands on his hips. On the floor, smiling sheepishly with papers scattered around him was Lev.

"Ahhh," Tetsurou grinned, "Gotta love fresh meat." Yaku sent a fierce glare his way, plotting a very painful demise for the dark Alpha. He flashed him a toothy smirk. "Wow, so much contempt in your eyes, Yaku."

"If you want to live past tomorrow, consider never speaking again for the rest of your sorry life," Yaku hissed.

"Your suggestion has been noted," he replied. "Say, Keibu, are we on a full shift tomorrow too?" Daichi glanced over, giving him a curt nod. Every muscle in the man's neck was tight. Tetsurou turned back around to Yaku. "Alright, go ahead and kill me then. It'd be a blessing to get away from this mess."

"Don't go taking the easy way out, Kuroo," Kenma murmured from afar.

"Are you kidding? I'm a god. When you're a god, dying somehow becomes very difficult," Tetsurou replied.

"I don't even know where to start with that statement," Daichi exhaled.

"You're not a god, Kuroo," Akaashi replied mindlessly.

"And even if you were a god–which you're not–what would you be the god of?" Yaku asked. Tetsurou turned his head, giving Yaku a sly look.

"Wouldn't you like to know," he simpered, followed by a wink.

"Kenma, please do something about this atrocity," Yaku pleaded.

The dyed blonde shook his head, "No can do. His jokes get worse when he's sleep deprived, and they're not even funny. All we can do is wait till he passes out." Kenma's head suddenly perked up. "Or gets hit by a car. That might be a better idea, actually."

"Wow,  okay. I'll pretend you _didn't_ just suggest attempting to murder me."

"It's too bad he doesn't have a parter to show up and come deal with this shit when we don't want to," Yaku growled.

"Speaking of partners," Tetsurou piped up. "Sugawara came by while you were out, said he was looking to see you. You tell him that we're working a full shift this weekend?"

"I haven't told Suga yet," he said shakily. "It's our anniversary on Sunday, too." At that, a roaring laugh exploded out of Tetsurou's mouth.

"I doubt you'll be making it out of that conversation alive. Someone's in the doghouse tonight," he snickered. "If we ever _get_ to go home, that is."

"You seem to be forgetting that we've endured worse," Akaashi said frankly.

"Nope, this time is definitely the worst. Do you want to know why?"

"Not really, no. I'll just trust your judgment," Akaashi replied.

 "That was a rhetorical question," Tetsurou deadpanned. "Why is this time the worst? Because it's happening _right now_."

"Wow," Yaku muttered bitterly. "I never took you for this much of a complainer."

"The politically correct term is a whiny bitch, thank you very much."

"The cats get pissy when they don't get their nap, huh?" Daichi chuckled. Yaku's nose twitched in fury.

"Restraint, Yaku-san!" Lev cried. "He's your senpai! Murder is–OWWW!" The large silver-haired man was instantly brought to his knees after one brutal kick. The papers he had just regathered scattered across the floor again.

"The only one I'd ever actually try to kill is you," Yaku retorted.

Lev coughed from the impact, "You say that, and yet–alright I get it! I'll shut up now!" Yaku had lifted his leg again, and Lev promptly surrendered. With their life force hanging by a thread, not a single one of his colleagues had it in them to defend him. The spastic silver man was completely thrown out to dry.

"Cursed young blood," Tetsurou whined. "They've all got too much damn energy."

"Only about as much energy as your hair," Yaku piped up.

"Which, in fact, is quite a lot," Akaashi added.

"I don't even have the strength to fight back," the bed-head replied woefully. He leaned back in his chair and began spinning again. Akaashi sent him another reprimanding look, but it was blatantly ignored.

Chaos and stress were regular hurdles for them. While the past week might have been in their top five worst, Tetsurou didn't doubt that their squadron would be able to handle it. After all, they handled more cases, oversaw more operations, and apprehended more suspects over any other group in their district. The reason for their success? Well, Mitsudomoe was not your typical squadron. For one, Mitsudomoe was a specialized team that consisted almost entirely of abnormals. Even their title supported the idea, although they all viewed it as absurdly arbitrary.

There was Junsa-buchou Yamaguchi Kenma, the dyed blonde Omega that works (or slaves, as he would say) as a computer analyst. He has supernatural analytical skills but the intuition of a rock. Like the majority of the population, he emits pheromones and all of his sensory pathways work correctly. However, his instinctual response to these pheromones is irregular. Whether or not this has anything to do with the fact that he's asexual, the doctors are unsure. Regardless, it makes for some pretty unconventional behaviors, especially in highly social environments. 

Then there was Akaashi Keiji, Keibu-ho and the team's residential criminal behavior specialist: a criminologist. The neurons in his brain fire incorrectly or fail to fire at all, creating a schism between his nervous system and its ability to process sensory input. His scent recognition is atypical. He can smell the pheromones of others around him, but also his own, treating it as 'not a part of him.' The Beta is superior at getting inside other people's heads and putting himself in the suspect's shoes.

After that was Yaku Morisuke, Junsa-buchou and a master of martial arts. He's a good officer with decisive decision-making skills and extremely disciplined. While he may be an Omega, he's definitely someone Tetsurou would consider a hard-ass. Yaku, like Kenma, has instinctual regularities. Despite his secondary sex, pheromones are more likely to elicit a violent impulse. His brain prioritizes fight over flight which deviates far from the typical biological response.

There was also Tetsurou himself: a senior Keibu-ho with his hypersensitivity to pheromones. He's able to detect the subtle differences that others couldn't even see. It was a dialect of language only he was really able to speak. In addition to that, his own scent was very strong. If it wasn't he wouldn't have been able to maintain his sense of self. However, because of its disruptive nature, he often wore scent patches to work and in public settings. He never minded it considering it only made doing his job that much easier.

Lastly was their Keibu, Sawamura Daichi. His differences weren't as obvious compared to the others. It's unlikely that anyone would be able to realize it until they've spent as much time with him as those of Mitsudomoe did. The Alpha had a lingering scent and essentially was both their peacekeeper and their commander. Even if it wasn't for his harmonizing qualities (which were rare for his secondary sex), his leadership skills are nothing short of superior. He was the one who proposed the original idea for a specialized team such as Mitsudomoe to be created. The success they've experienced as a squadron thus far could primarily be attributed to Daichi's unwavering efforts.

The half-Russian Alpha with silver hair by the name of Haiba Lev and the Beta Inuoka Sou were new additions to the team, provisionally serving as a replacement for those who were temporarily assigned to another squadron within the Department. Lev, in particular, was a lively Junsa, fresh out of the police academy. Yaku had been tasked with breaking him in. Tetsurou wasn't sure whether to pity Lev, for becoming a human punching bag, or Yaku, who somehow got stuck supervising an oversized baby.

For the most part, they all had quirks that would otherwise be seen as eccentricities, possibly even as defects, on the spectrum of what was considered 'normal.' However, after the cohesion of these abnormalities, the puzzle pieces created a powerful final picture.

"Sawamura-Keibu-san!" A lively voice called out from the doorway. All heads in the room turned toward the sound.

"Ah, Inuoka!" Lev greeted in surprise. 

"Logistics just sent this over," the officer panted, running toward their cluster of desks. Daichi took the stack of papers from his hands immediately. "They've distinguished the shooter's vantage point." 

Tetsurou perked up in his seat, "Oya oya, what's this?" His trademark playful smirk spread across his lips. 

Daichi skimmed over the words, looking back up at Inuoka with wide eyes.

"It's a lead," Daichi murmured in awe. "It's a lead!" he repeated, this time much more eagerly. Daichi handed half the stack over to Kenma, whose keyboard began clicking at an even faster pace. He pulled up a satellite image of the coordinates on his screen.

"It's the building opposite of the Ushijima & Associates tower. The height of the room is level with the one that Shirabu-san was in when the shooting occurred."

"Is anyone renting the space right now?" Yaku asked.

Kenma shook his head, "The floor just finished its renovations two weeks ago. So far only a couple of the spaces have offers showing interest in rent."

"Two weeks, huh? That puts the shooting one week after the renovations were completed," Daichi mused aloud. "Akaashi, you think one week is enough time to prepare the space?"

Akaashi's brows pinched together, "It's definitely possible, but sounds awfully impulsive for such a high scale job. Impulsive people don't get within a mile of Shiratorizawa-kai." Yaku let out a huff in agreement. Lev's head hung to the side.

"Doesn't someone have to be impulsive to go after Shiratorizawa-kai?" he asked curiously.

"There's a difference between being impulsive and being bold, Lev," Kenma murmured in his usual dry tone.

"I swear, did you even pass high school?" Yaku facepalmed. The silver-haired Alpha averted his gaze out of shame.

"What if...?" Tetsurou whispered to himself.

"Kuroo?" Kenma called.

"What if they had more than a week?" he asked, much more assured the second time around. "What if it wasn't an impulsive decision at all?"

Akaashi's eye's widened a fraction, "You're suggesting they knew about the renovations and  waited until they were finished?"

"If that's true, it's possible that he was even involved in the renovations themselves," Yaku added.

"What I'm suggesting," Tetsurou began. "Is that everything was planned, right down to the last second."

"The meticulous, detail-oriented type fits the profile more accurately than an impulsive type," Akaashi replied thoughtfully.

"So then the only thing the unsub hadn't planned for was Shirabu-san," Yaku commented.

"That's assuming that he wasn't the target," Tetsurou interjected.

"Do you think that someone who went to such great lengths to plan this out would make a shot that had a possibility of Shirabu-san surviving? It's obvious that it was a mistake. Would such a meticulous person carelessly make a mistake like that?" Akaashi pressed. "Not to mention, if it was Shirabu-san they wanted to kill, where's the need for all the planning? There would have been plenty more opportunities other than the one the unsub chose."

"The harder of the two targets would definitely be Ushijima-san," Lev added.

"I think it's safe to think that the unsub came for Ushijima-san, but Shirabu-san became an unpredictable variable for them somehow," Yaku concluded.

Daichi nodded his head approvingly, "Now, all we'd need is an official statement from either Shirabu-san or Ushijima-san regarding what happened at the time of the shooting."

"Easier said than done, Keibu," Tetsurou groaned.

"I know," Daichi sighed. "For now, let's go investigate the vantage point for ourselves. Akaashi, take Inuoka and..." His eyes searched the crowd of desks in front of him.

"I'll go." All eyes turned to Tetsurou. Akaashi nodded in agreement, but Daichi seemed much more skeptical.

"You'll go?" he asked.

"I'll go," Tetsurou shot back immediately.

Daichi's brows furrowed, "Kuroo, are you sure you're alright to go back in the field?" Tetsurou winced as if he'd been slapped.

"Of course I'm alright. Suga cleared me for field work weeks ago," he reminded, though Daichi was not yet convinced.

"We haven't really done much since then–"

"Daichi-san," Tetsurou said firmly. His unruly bangs fell over his eyes like a curtain. "I'm fine." Daichi sighed heavily, conceding.

"Alright, you all can go once the warrant is processed. Yaku, take these forms down to the judicial office with Lev." Daichi waved the papers Inuoka had given him from logistics and Lev reached a lanky arm right across Yaku to snatch them. The smaller officer scowled but made no comment. As the two left, Tetsurou locked eyes with Daichi again.

"So, are you gonna call him?"

"Yeah," Daichi sighed. "I'll have to. He'll have a better view from where he sits. There may be some word on the street that we don't know about. I'd be stupid not to."

"Mmm," he hummed disapprovingly.

"Look," Daichi began. "Don't be mad because he's out there and you're not. You know what kind of situation this is."

"Damn right I do," Tetsurou rejoined. "Put me out of work for a whole month."

"So you understand?" Daichi asked firmly. Tetsurou's upper lip twitched ever so slightly. "Kuroo, you're off the Nohebi case, and for good reasons. I won't change my mind." A smell suddenly became apparent in the air. It smelled of eucalyptus and sandalwood. The scent wasn't particularly aggressive, but it pressured him. It wrapped around his skin, weighing him down. He decided it would be best not to pressure Daichi further and replied with a curt nod. If there was one thing he hated, it was being forced to back down from a case. Once he started on the hunt, it was hard for him to stop.

The Nohebi case was the most engaging one he's had in awhile. Giving it up would certainly be an adjustment. Tetsurou felt deprived, for a lack of a better word.

Perhaps he'd find a new interest in the one that tried to shoot an eagle out of the sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What each of the irregularities are based on:
> 
> Kenma (Ω)
> 
> \- instinctual response to pheromones is irregular
> 
> \- based on asexuality, and sensory processing disorder
> 
> Akaashi (ß)
> 
> \- scent recognition is irregular
> 
> \- based on (disassociative) depersonalization disorder
> 
> Kuroo (α)
> 
>  
> 
> \- reaction and processing of pheromones is irregular (hypersensitivity to pheromones, as well as the enhancement of his own scent, it's pretty overpowering)
> 
> \- based on the method of read blocking, sensory processing disorder, hypersensitivities (such as allergies)
> 
> Yaku (Ω)
> 
> \- instinctual response to pheromones is irregular
> 
> \- based on Cadeherin 13 (CDH13) and MAOA-L genes
> 
> Daichi (α)
> 
> \- pheromone emission/elicited response is irregular 
> 
> \- based on primer pheromones in social Hymenoptera (which work to maintain social harmony within a colony)
> 
>  
> 
> So...some of you were correct with your predictions about the coat. However, I will say that you haven't seen the best of it yet. Heh. It honestly killed me to split this chapter knowing what goes down next. I just like to make Kuroo's job/life/existence really hard. Even though the chapter was pretty relaxed I still had to end it cryptically. XD Sorry about that (this is really just a courtesy apology let's be honest here).
> 
> I've been internally screaming this entire week because... *begins to hyperventilate* I CAN'T EVEN SPEAK OF IT. BAD AUTHOR. SPOILERS ARE BAD.
> 
> Feedback and comments are always always always much appreciated! I will always respond no matter what. I love talking to my readers. You guys are freaking awesome. Reading your comments helps me write and gives me motivation. Whenever I feel stuck on something/have writer's block, I always go back and read what you all have written.
> 
> I just want you all to know that you're very appreciated and if you don't feel like it then COME OVER HERE AND LET ME WORSHIP YOU. YOU ARE APPRECIATED. I APPRECIATE YOU. HAVE A GOOD DAY.
> 
> ~obryzii


	6. Leave a Light on in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroo, Akaashi, and Inuoka head to the potential vantage point. However, they aren't the only ones. Kuroo's taking one step forward, and ten steps back. It's tough when no one else speaks your language.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hustled to make sure I got this out to you all. I feel antsy when I have a split chapter and then I leave the other part alone for too long. XD I think this is somewhat rushed but useless language is not really my thing. Some of you have already figured out that everything I say has a purpose/reason behind it (which makes me really excited).
> 
> But...I wonder if this is all what you had in mind when they went to the vantage point. We'll see. ;) Let me know what you thought of it.
> 
> I love you all so much. You're all my favorite people. I hope everyone is having a magnificent start to their week!

# Leave a Light on in the Dark

* * *

 

 

By the time Tetsurou, Akaashi, and Inuoka were able to get out to the shooter's potential vantage point, the sun had almost set. Heading up to their destination, they certainly got their fair share of scorn from the surrounding tenants. First was the shooting, now they have cops showing up with a search warrant. The police holing themselves up in their building was bad for business.

Out of the corner of his eye, Tetsurou saw Inuoka attempting to give them faint, reassuring smiles. The raven-haired Alpha felt like snorting as his efforts were returned with disdain. That kid, kind-hearted as he is, should really learn just to stop trying. Airs and graces were only wasted on people like these. Now if you hand handed them each a handful of Japanese bills, well, they'd be more than happy to cooperate with the investigation.

Tetsurou let Akaashi lead as they traveled up the levels of the establishment. He couldn't even count the number of times they assumed he was a criminal consultant and not a registered officer. He learned from experience that it was better to let the one who looked the part go first. There were fewer brows raised and fewer questions asked.

Inuoka removed the camera he'd brought from the case, adjusting the settings and preparing it for photos. When the door opened, the familiar clicking began.

As soon as they walked into the room, Tetsurou was hit with it. He wasn't even given time to take note of his surroundings before he became overwhelmed.

The smell was sharp. As he inhaled it, his pathways burned. His throat was caught in the same way it would be if he was dehydrated after doing physical exercise. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to swallow. Every breath for him became tight. Something deep within him roared, nostrils flaring wide. It was if the scent was trying to smother him. It crawled over his skin, scratching at his pores. The discomfort he was feeling was akin to that of spiders crawling over his limbs. A practically obsessive drive to brush off every inch of his body nearly seized him.

It was paradoxical. The smell gave the illusion that he was standing in a dimension full of nothing, and this nothingness gave off overwhelming amounts of pressure. The most unsettling part of it all was that the pressure was fleeting. Except, he was constantly being attacked with it. There was no time to settle down and get used to it. It was the voice of oblivion calling him down.

The smell of fresh linen and jasmine...he couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu wave over him. He had been in this position before, he was sure, but with _what_? What was it that put him so on edge in the same way that he was now? Why was it that he couldn't remember?

He pushed the anxiety aside temporarily, focusing on what the smell was actually telling him. Such a distinct scent would be able to communicate several things. 

He sensed fear and emotional distress. Tetsurou could actually _feel_ the thoughts of the unsub running a million miles an hour. But even among all the chaos, there was a certain degree of calm. Vivid images of the unsub's motions appeared in his head. He could already imagine the unsub's movements as they made the shot. How they promptly threw themselves into action in a hurried, methodical manner with which they made their escape.

The atmosphere started to build anger and turmoil inside of him.  He wondered what it smelled like to Akaashi and Inuoka, what it was making them _feel_. Tetsurou had half a mind to ask.

His gaze shifted anxiously to the other two in the room. Neither of them seemed as disheveled as he did. Inuoka was preoccupied taking photos of the scene and Akaashi was thoroughly absorbed in his thoughts. He decided to hold off on the questions for now. The Alpha wasn't keen on creating more problems before they had the chance to think through the current situation first. His sights returned to the room and the foreign surroundings, although all of it was insipid compared to what was lurking in the air.

"Kuroo-san, are you alright?" Akaashi asked. 

"What do you mean?" he snapped. The moment he spoke, there was a sudden spike in hormones coming from the corner of the room. Tetsurou turned his head sharply towards Inuoka, nostrils flaring. The young officer stood defensively, actively avoiding the Alpha's gaze. He was slouched and his shoulders were folded inward. Tetsurou turned to Akaashi, only to find the Beta standing with an uncomfortable posture, struggling not to fidget where he stood. He was better at handling the situation than Inuoka because he's had more exposure to Tetsurou and his pheromones. The raven-haired Alpha was typically very disciplined with the emission of his scent. It tended to be very obstructive to those around him, so he held himself responsible for keeping it reined in at all times. Due to lack of sleep, some of his frustration must have been allowed to leak into the air.

If he could list a single worst complaint about his job, it would be the strain it put on his body. Sleep was the time he used to recharge. It was the time his brain used to reset itself and re-process the information that had been taken in that day. With his hypersensitivity, he often found himself in a constant lethargic state. There was so much more information his brain processed in a day as opposed to the average person. To account for that, he needed that much more sleep and time to decompress. It was obvious that lately, he hasn't been getting that.

When sleep became scarce, his self-discipline was often the first to go. Tetsurou inhaled deeply, recollecting himself. He noticed Inuoka visibly relax.

"I'm alright, it's nothing to worry over." Even after he assured them, Akaashi still watched him with hawk-like eyes. "How about instead of trying to get into my head, you try and get into the unsub's head, yeah?"

Akaashi blinked, then turned his attention back to their surroundings.

"According to logistics," the Beta began thoughtfully. He walked himself in a circle around the room until he came across the spot that was across from the Ushijima & Associates building. "I stood here at the window, firing at a slightly downward angle, rotated open slightly towards the right, meaning that I'm right-handed."

Akaashi had a peculiar way of working out his thoughts. Whenever he was trying to put himself in the unsub's shoes, he always used the pronoun 'I', just as if he was telling the story from a first-hand encounter. The way his voice smoothed over every word sounded as if he was the suspect himself. He was always incredibly calm as he went through the scenario. Akaashi stretched on latex gloves and Tetsurou followed.

"What about the window?" Tetsurou asked. "Did you shoot through it?"

The Beta shook his head, "No. I would have removed anything that would have obstructed the bullet's path."

"Here, Inuoka, come help me." Tetsurou beckoned for the younger officer to come close. Their fingers laced around the edge of the glass, looking for any sort of removable latch. The search didn't yield any results. He took a step back to analyze the window from afar. In his head, he compared it to the one right next to it. "Inuoka, do you see anything different about these two windows?"

"No sir, they look identical." But they couldn't be. One was shot through, the other wasn't. Windows just don't disappear and reappear at will. His eyes worked swiftly, comparing every inch of the two. The only thing he could find was a more defined crease at the seams of the trim. Tetsurou walked forward, grabbing a hold of the top part of the window. It took some force, but he was able to wiggle the frame loose. The top of the frame broke off, the window's glass nearly falling forward on top of him. Inuoka rushed over to assist him.

"What a smart-ass," Tetsurou snickered. "Inuoka, make sure you call forensics before we leave here." The Beta nodded as he and Tetsurou placed the glass on the floor gently.

"I would have placed the glass in front of the window to the right," Akaashi commented. The other two followed suit. The roaring of traffic and city life could be heard through the opening. It was the perfect white noise. Akaashi crouched before the opening, adjusting himself as if he were holding a real rifle. "I would have locked sights on Ushijima-san, then I would've waited."

"What were you waiting for?" he asked.

"I already would know Ushijima-san's full schedule by now. I would've waited until I was well into the timeframe I found suitable. It wouldn't have been at the beginning, and it wouldn't have been near the end."

"Then you saw Shirabu-san in the room with Ushijima-san. Did you hesitate then?" Tetsurou pressed.

"No," Akaashi replied. "But I would have evaluated if whether or not he was a threat."

"And the verdict?"

"Let sleeping bears lie," Akaashi murmured. "I take the shot."

"Sometime between the unsub pulling the trigger and the bullet entering the building then the victim, something interfered with the dynamics of the situation," Inuoka said. The officer looked like he was working hard. It wasn't easy to keep up with his seniors, and certainly not everyone could do it. His efforts were commendable so far.

"If we want more information on that, we'll have to talk to Ushijima-san," Tetsurou replied. Akaashi nodded in agreement.

"In order to figure out the escape route, we'll have to get Kenma to do some more research on the building itself," Akaashi added.

Tetsurou chuckled, "You better show up with some serious bribery. That guy's motivation is running thin. I wouldn't be surprised if we come back only to find that he's escaped with his mate."

Akaashi gave a small smile, "Duly noted." He turned to Inuoka. "Did you get enough photos?"

"I think we should probably get one of what the view looks like from the window," Inuoka answered.

"Good thinking," Tetsurou nodded. Akaashi stepped away from the open window to give Inuoka some room. He took a glance at the dark-haired Beta and became puzzled. The grin he thought would've faded still remained. "What the hell are you smiling for? It's kinda creepy."

"If you think about it, it almost seems that the entire scenario was fabricated. Without the little scraps of information we've obtained so far, we wouldn't have been able to even get _this_ far."

"Oh yes, the roadblocks we've been hitting are _definitely_ something we should rejoice about," Tetsurou jeered.

"It was if the unsub was never even here. Everything was executed beautifully and intelligently, aside from his mistake."

"Again," Tetsurou raised a brow skeptically. "I don't see the correlation between that and your happiness."

"I wouldn't call it happiness...more like a pleasing level of intrigue," Akaashi replied.

"Well that clears everything up, now doesn't it?"

"I was on Akaashi-sensei's* team for another case previously," Inuoka interjected. "This reminds me of the unsub we were chasing back then."

"It fits his MO, doesn't it?" Akaashi asked thoughtfully. "I thought so too."

"Whose MO? Which case was it?" Tetsurou asked.

"Hibiki," Akaashi murmured, a dark glint in his sage eyes. "We were following Hibiki. We still are. Kageyama was working on the case with us previously," the Beta smirked. "I've never seen the protégé more agitated."

"Hibiki?" The Alpha assumed a cynical look on his face. "Like 'the killer echo' Hibiki? Isn't that the guy you always say is your favorite hanzaisha?"

Akaashi shrugged, "I suppose you could put it that way."

"Should you even have a favorite? That sounds morally wrong on so many levels," he retorted. Akaashi sent him an equally dubious stare.

"Oh please. Don't talk to me about picking favorites when Daishou was so obviously yours," Akaashi rebuked.

"Daishou's an interesting character yeah, but I don't walk around all smiles giving him compliments, now do I?"

"You were previously consumed by the Nohebi case so you never got the chance to work one of Hibiki's. I think you'd be surprised as to just how interesting he can be." The dark-haired Beta flashed him a knowing look, making the Alpha wince.

"Do you really have to say it like that?" Tetsurou asked.

"Like what, Kuroo-san?" Akaashi's expression progressively got bolder, knowing that he had him cornered. This is why he hated shrinks.

"Just...nevermind," he grumbled.  _Go fuck yourself_ , his thoughts snarled bitterly. His brain was sitting inside his head for a reason. People were not meant to see what's inside it.

Tetsurou let Akaashi and Inuoka's theory sink in. He had trouble visualizing how constantly chasing their own tails could be at all interesting. The way it was now, he couldn't even picture their face. All they've been chasing is his silhouette, the echoes of the sound. How fitting that he had been named Hibiki, a faceless enemy.

Suddenly, a switch was flipped inside his head.

_Wait a minute...faceless...a faceless scent..._

_Tsukishima Kei._

That feeling that he's been down this road before, it reminded him of all the times he's smelled Tsukishima's scent on his coat. This pattern of vanishing without a trace...he had seen it before in the blonde's disappearance. With the way it happened, it was if neither of them had ever existed. Was Hibiki's scent really the same as Tsukishima's? Could Akaashi or Inuoka smell it? He had to know. He had to be sure.

"Do...do either of you smell anything off about this room?" he asked, doing his best to keep his voice level.

Inuoka cocked his head, "...Off?"

"For example...anything...anything out of the ordinary? Something that might stand out to you in particular?" They both gave the air around them a second whiff.

"I don't smell anything that would alarm me," Akaashi replied.

"The same," Inuoka followed in tandem. "Why are you asking, Kuroo-san?"

"Ah, no, I was just checking. Forget about it," Tetsurou dismissed. It was just as he feared. It would make no difference to the case if he was the only one who would be able to smell it. He'd need at least one other officer to validate his claims. The only reason he was able to identify it was due to its exclusivity.

_Even if the smell they found here and Tsukishima's..._

Why couldn't he finish the sentence? What was it about Tsukishima's scent?

_What did Tsukishima's scent smell like again?_

The answer and the realization that came after the thought was like a punch to the gut. He didn't know. He couldn't remember. He couldn't remember what it smelled like, only that it was faceless. It was just as he observed early on. If he didn't keep it in his thoughts at all times, he was doomed to forget about it.

Of course, he hadn't brought the coat with him for obvious reasons. He didn't need distractions while he was on the job. But if he could just confirm it...if he could just assure himself that yes, his conclusions were correct, then he could figure out how to proceed. He couldn't just run blindly into a storm.

Tetsurou had to get back to the office. He had to prove to himself that his instinct wasn't wrong.

"Come on, let's go back," he urged, already halfway out the door.

"Well someone's in a hurry," Akaashi sneered.

"Go ahead and sue me for it," Tetsurou muttered. He was out of the room and into the elevator long before the other two. Upon seeing him saunter their way, others moved out of his path, parting like the sea.

_If he left the vantage point now, how long would it be until he forgot what he smelled here as well?_

He repeated all that he gained from today's visit over and over in his head.

_How long would it be until he couldn't remember either of them? How much longer until the hand of oblivion retreats?_

Tetsurou didn't want to know, and he didn't have the luxury of being able to find out.

 

• • •

 

The police officers may have been the only ones in the room at the time. However, they were not the only ones that had gone there in the past week. Shiratorizawa-kai had gone too. After all, they had people for these sort of situations. They had people who could do the same job as those in the logistics department over in the law enforcement. They had people who could do the same job, only faster and better.

Shiratorizawa may not have been there at the time, but it didn't mean they weren't still watching.

They were, and they had seen everything.

However, the law enforcement also had a certain group of people that could do things both faster and better. Some of them could do things that other people just _can't_. Of this, Shiratorizawa-kai was aware. They knew who they were, but knew next to nothing about the parameters of their abilities. The one thing they knew for sure was that they definitely didn't want them getting involved in any of their business.

"We got a problem," a low voice whispered. From the other end of the line came a shrill tone.

"Eita my boy, whatever could be wrong?" the recipient asked mockingly. Semi clicked his tongue aggressively.

Semi Eita was usually not one of those people. Not that there weren't things that he couldn't do faster and better, those just weren't the ones. Although, desperate times calls for desperate measures. The moment Shirabu Kenjirou was shot, he made it his personal responsibility to oversee the success of this operation. There wasn't a person in existence that he would let harm a hair on the Wakagashira's head and continue on living.

He'd never admit it aloud, but he considered everyone in Shira-souke-kai subject to his policy. Not even the oyabun would be exempt.

"Satori," he growled. A muffled squawk came through the speaker.

"Yes yes, I'm listening."

"They're not just going to half-ass it this time," Semi muttered. "We're going to have to be more careful."

"Since when have we not been?"

Semi rolled his eyes, "By we, I meant  _you_."

"Pfft," Tendou scoffed. "I knew this lecture was coming sooner or later. Look, I've got company here soo–"

"Oh no, don't you dare hang up on me." Semi's anger was only met with monotonous beeping. "That fuckass," he barked. He jammed the phone furiously into his coat pocket, taking deep breaths to soothe his frustration (not that it even worked). If _that_ guy was back on the job, this was all going to be a lot more trouble than they had originally planned.

Semi stopped dead in his tracks.

_Wait a minute. Tendou said he had company? No one willingly agrees to accompany Tendou anywhere, save for Ushijima._

"That fucker," he snarled darkly. "He better not have done something stupid."

 

• • •

 

Tetsurou charged into the station the same way he charged out of the establishment of the vantage point.

"Slow down please, Kuroo-san," Akaashi noted dryly. All eyes were on him as he charged in. He didn't have enough time for courtesies. He had two things on his mind: getting his hands on the coat and Hibiki's smell. The Alpha simply didn't have room for anything else. It took an immense amount of focus.

"Oi, Kuroo. What's going on?" Kenma called. It appeared that his behavior was so aberrant that even the dyed-blonde was prompted to move away from his multiple screens. Tetsurou glanced around the room frantically.

"Is Daichi around?" he panted.

Akaashi's eyes narrowed, "What the hell is with you?" The green-eyed Beta was huffing as well from having to keep up with Tetsurou's pace. His brain ignored all unnecessary information, hyper-focused only on his two aims. Yaku looked him up and down with a discerning look.

"He just left, said he was going to try to get Ushijima-san to accept a police interview," Yaku replied. Lev was standing nearby with an eerily still expression, watching Tetsurou with cat-like eyes.

Daichi was already suspicious of his mental state. Now was not a good time to be adding fuel to the fire. With one of the risk factors having been eliminated, he moved straight to the next step.

Tetsurou immediately strode towards the lockers, the place where he'd last seen his coat. He ceased to breathe for several moments when he couldn't find it where he'd last left it.

"Kenma!" he yelled. "Do you know where my coat is?"

"You could've asked a little nicer," the Omega whispered.

Tetsurou exhaled deeply, "Just answer the question."

"I'm not a criminal, Kuroo," Kenma deadpanned. "It's on your desk chair. Tadashi felt bad about the other day, so he washed it again for you." The raven-haired Alpha rushed to the chair, about to grab the coat, when he finally processed what Kenma just said. He stopped abruptly, a ghastly expression on his face.

"What did you say?" he asked, voice quiet.

"I said he washed it for you." Kenma was back to studying his screens.

"He did _WHAT_?! He should have asked me first!" Tetsurou clamored.

The dyed blonde shrugged, "You were complaining. He just thought he'd do something nice." The raven-haired Alpha's hands flew up to his head, grabbing aggressively at his bedhead. Tetsurou started to laugh.

"This has got to be...some sick joke," he chuckled.

"He thought he was doing you a favor," Kenma replied.

"Ha," he snickered. "A favor? That hardly counts as a favor." He felt like laughing at himself. Was this the universe's way of telling him not to go down this path? He couldn't tell if it was saving his sanity or destroying it further.

"What're you looking for, Kuroo-san?" Lev asked. Every head in the room turned toward the Alpha who had retained the same posture from the moment the trio had returned from the vantage point.

He knew. Tetsurou's first thoughts were that somehow, he knew. Granted, he hadn't been discreet about it, but Lev had known it at first sight.

No, he probably knew by first _smell_. Tetsurou wasn't all that surprised. He knew that there had to be a reason Lev was able to make it this far. When he first came, he figured his skills would show themselves eventually.

This behavior even led Tetsurou to wonder if they were more alike than he first assumed.

"I...Confirmation. I just needed some confirmation. That coat was the only thing that..." Tetsurou gritted his teeth.

"You said it absolutely stunk before, it should be fine if he only washed it once, right?" Kenma asked.

"I'm hypersensitive, not a dog from the K-9 unit!" Tetsurou shouted.

"We know that Kuroo-san," Inuoka responded shakily, a feeble attempt at smoothing things over. 

"Well," Akaashi interjected, giving Tetsurou a good once over. "It's not that far off. Instead of a dog...a cat, perhaps?"

"What, did the coat smell like catnip or something? It's not like you couldn't use something to take the edge off," Yaku muttered. Tetsurou clenched his hands into fists. It wasn't the quiet nights that he spent awake in bed that made him feel most alone, it was times like these. It was at times like this when Tetsurou was reminded that even if he stood in a room full of atypical individuals, he was still not accepted. He was still not one of them. He could sympathize with them, empathize with them, but he could never be one of them. 

He still spoke a language that was not their own. It was entirely different. That one simple fact would not change.

Tetsurou reached a trembling hand towards the coat, hesitantly grasping the fabric in his hand. There was a small shred of hope left, and now was the time to kill it. He slowly brought the fabric up to his nose, inhaling.

Gone. It was gone. The scent of Tsukishima Kei was gone, and what replaced it was a chemical and artificial odor. There was no way for him to know. He couldn't even assure himself that he wasn't going insane.

If Tetsurou was to bring this to a judge, he'd be taken for overly imaginative, making conclusions out of nothing. If Tetsurou was to even bring this to Daichi, he'd take him off fieldwork and send him back to Sugawara for review.

Going down that road would've been long and hard. It was a place he didn't want to go...so why was he not feeling relieved?

He never said out loud. He never even admitted it to himself, but he was too far gone. Smelling something that others can't smell...that's called _hallucinating_. Continuing to believe that is a rational thought is called being _delusional_. Maintaining the disconnection from reality was called _psychosis_.

Ever since this moment, he's always trusted himself. Tetsurou has always had faith in his abilities. He never once made a mistake that big (if it even was a mistake). He never made things up out thin air. But if he did...or if his supervisors at least _thought_ he did, he'd be dismissed from the force, and everyone he's ever put away could challenge that they've been wrongly imprisoned. Going off of that notion, his dismissal would reflect poorly on Mitsudomoe as a whole. Not a single one of them would be able to return.

On the flip side, he knew he couldn't just ignore it. It was impossible to. That's not how to effectively solve a problem.

"Kuroo-san," a voice called to him. He looked up to find Akaashi who was evaluating him with a very discerning gaze. If he hadn't already figured out what was going on in his head based on today's events, then he surely would by the end of the day. Denying it was only a waste of the very little energy he had left.

"Akaashi...please don't tell Daichi," he pleaded. Tetsurou locked eyes with the Beta, displaying a very solemn expression. Akaashi blinked in surprise. "This is me asking you for a favor...please, don't say anything to him."

Akaashi nodded tentatively in response. Tetsurou released a heavy sigh.

He will just have to figure this one out on his own.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Akaashi is a criminologist, ergo a doctor of criminology which makes it appropriate for him to be referred to as 'sensei'
> 
>  
> 
> My model in life is "Lol sike you thought" followed by evil laughter.
> 
>  
> 
> Feel free to follow up with any comments/feedback/questions. I'll see you all soon. <3


	7. The Kingmaker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa: The man who cannot be refused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone. I sincerely apologize for not updating this story for so long. I know some don't like to read the author's notes, but I ask that every one of my readers take the time to read this message. Please.
> 
> I just want to say...I'm beyond blown away by everyone's comments and feedback. I never expected this story to get such a positive reaction. However, I'm going to be up front with everyone. I want you all to know what's going on in my head at this moment. The more people that read and enjoy this story, the happier, the more excited, and the more pleased I am about it. Now writing it...is a completely different story. This is because the more people that read, enjoy it, and continue to expect great things from it, the more I am feeling the pressure. Naturally, I'm someone who likes to take risks when it comes to plot and stories in general. Above everything else though, I just want to give you all something that is fun and interesting to read. I want you all to keep on wanting to read this story. I want to be able to give you the best story possible.
> 
> As a result, I'm only a couple chapters in and I'm already doubting myself before every single one. I never know if the decisions I make are the right ones. I never know if people are going to love or hate what I do. Every time I post a new chapter it feels like I'm risking everything the entire story has accomplished thus far. It's an all or nothing bet. I'm so, so terrified of getting the latter.
> 
> I'd say I can finish chapters within a week or less. It depends on how much time I actually have available to work on it. If I'm ever stuck on a chapter, there are around two things that could be wrong: the pacing is flawed or something about the plot is sending me red flags. The last tends to give me a lot of trouble (as in I'll be stuck on it for a longer period of time) but once I've figured it out, the chapter can pretty much be finished within the next day.
> 
> I've done a lot of writing in my spare time but I've never had anyone to read any of it, so this is a little overwhelming to me. I honestly believe that I don't have enough experience writing for an actual audience to be able to trust myself. The problem is...as a writer, my ideas tend to be very unconventional. On one hand, this is a good trait to have. On the other, it just makes things that more difficult for me.
> 
> (As a side note...some things in my story may seem to go off topic/on a tangent, but if there's one thing I can promise, it's that everything in this story does have a purpose).
> 
> This does not mean that I will end or stop writing this story because of it.
> 
> The reason that I'm saying all this is that I would like you all to please forgive any mistakes that I will make (because there's no way I can scrape through this story without some) and to please be patient with me as I steadily gain both courage and confidence. Everyone has been very supportive so far and I'm so very thankful for that. And again, the readers' feedback is helpful. I didn't want it to sound like it wasn't. It is one of my main sources of information when I need to make a decision.
> 
> Please be aware and accommodating of my insecurity. I can't apologize nor thank you all enough for doing so already.
> 
> This now concludes a very cleansing rant. I feel like I can finish this chapter now. After voicing my anxiety, I feel so much lighter now. Glad it's off my chest. I just thought I should share these thoughts with everyone because I enjoy the connections I have with my readers already and would like to maintain that. Thank you for reading this and I hope you all enjoy the new update!!

# The Kingmaker

* * *

 

 

 

 

_"The number you dialed has been changed, disconnected, or is no longer in service. If you feel have reached this recording in error, please check th—"_

"God  _fucking_  damn it," he cursed, furiously running his hands through his curled locks. Oikawa Tooru slammed his phone against the desk, growling. It had been the tenth time he called in the past week.

Ever since the fiasco at Ushijima & Associates, Tooru had been hell bent on trying to reach Hibiki, the koroshiya he had hired who was  _supposed_  to be perfect for the job. The two had never met face to face. Their only correspondence was through the phone, but it wasn't as if Aoba Johsai-rengo-kai hadn't tried to make contact in other ways. There was a period of time during which they did everything in power to even catch a glimpse of the one at the other end of the line. However, they quickly learned that Hibiki ran a tighter ship than most. The last time they wandered down that road, Tooru was sent back a dead body, and it was not the one he had requested. Unfortunately, the poor soul that was asked to take his picture didn't come back alive. As a result, Tooru was warned that should he continue to use his services, he'd stop trying to stick his nose where it doesn't belong. He was baffled by the koroshiya's boldness, leaving him with many more questions concerning his identity, but regardless, Tooru was not one that needed to be told twice.

Everything in this business was a game of give-and-take. Nothing was done out of respect and nothing was done for free. There was a price tag to everything. Those who were smart would come to despise the free lunch. It's better to appeal to someone's interests rather than their mercy and goodwill. In this world, it was easy to get robbed blind. Those who are unable to discern for themselves would become the followers. Those who are adept at knowing when to challenge and when to concede would become the leaders. Whether or not the strong will stand over the weak and vice versa depends on  _how_  you define strong and  _how_  you define weak.

Requests for Hibiki's services were usually put in through text, though there had been the rare and occasional phone call. If there had been any sort of complication (as rare as they were), Hibiki had never failed to call him. But the morning following the attempt, there was no call. Instead, Tooru was greeted by flashing lights and alarms that the lower tiers of Shiratorizawa-kai were engaging in unauthorized invasions of their territory.

It was the best feeling in the world to get up in the morning and be notified by the news reporters that someone fucked up, rather than hear it from the person himself. Frankly, all of Tokyo had known before he did.

Nothing could've pissed Tooru off more.

"I don't understand. So the guy messed up, big deal," Hanamaki shrugged. "It wasn't a secret that we were at odds with Shira-Kai. Just get someone else to do it."

"I think you lost sight of the one we're trying to kill here," Tooru groaned. He stared down at his empty desk, eyes sending daggers through it. "If everything were that easy, we wouldn't be forced to have this conversation right now."

"At the rate things are going, outsiders—investors and partners included—won't be able to get within ten miles of Shiratorizawa," Iwaizumi grumbled. The well-muscled Alpha leaned back on the edge of Tooru's desk with both his legs and arms crossed. His signature scowl draped a dark veil over his face. The robust Alpha was the only one who ever dared to stand so close, though he was also part of the reason no one else ever did. Hanamaki and Matsukawa were both sitting a comfortable distance away in chairs at the front of the room. It was an unspoken law to maintain a respectable distance away from the pair. Tooru leaned back in his chair, letting his head fall back. His gaze fell fixated on the ceiling.

"Say, how do you think Hibiki-chan was able to get close enough to Ushiwaka?" he murmured.

"If we knew that we would've just done the job ourselves," Matsukawa replied listlessly.

"It doesn't take a genius to shoot a guy in the head," Iwaizumi said openly. "But it does take a genius to be able to get close enough to shoot."

"That's my point," Tooru replied. "Hibiki-chan...he knows shit. He knows a ton of shit that he is not supposed to know, that's how." He pulled himself forward again, meeting his subordinates' gaze. "What happens when he gets caught? Who's he going to protect?" He held a solemn expression, glaring at them all through lidded eyes.

"His own ass, obviously," Matsukawa scoffed.

"Exactly," Tooru grumbled. "With our luck, he's already halfway on a plane to a third world country."

"I don't think so," Iwaizumi replied thoughtfully, eyes still on the floor.

Tooru raised a brow, "What makes you say that?"

"Think about it," Iwaizumi began. He pushed off the desk, turning to face the Kumichou, his arms still crossed. "With what money is he going to do that with?" he asked. "Yahaba already traced the money from our previous transactions. He shuffled an identity tag through the wire-transfer. He hasn't touched a single dollar, since the very beginning."

"You're kidding." Tooru let out a huff in disbelief, sending his Wakagashira a dubious look.

Iwaizumi sighed, "This headache would be a hell of a lot smaller if I was."

"What the hell was he doing all this for anyway?" Hanamaki pressed. "He was just doing it for the thrill of it?" 

"That's impossible," Tooru snapped. Hibiki was a killer. He may have been faceless, but he couldn't have been priceless. There isn't a single thing in this world that was without a cost. There's an opportunity cost to everything, even breathing. No one in the room was more aware of that than Tooru. The idea didn't sit well with him.

_What was the hidden price? What piece of the puzzle were they missing?_

_What was it that Hibiki really wanted?_

"So, what then? He's still in Japan?" Matsukawa asked. Tooru had a hard time accepting that idea as well. Considering his past patterns of behavior, 'Hibiki' didn't seem like the type that was all too eager to take unnecessary risks. While Tooru didn't know much about the way they operated, he knew that their targets couldn't have been taken down on a whim. There had to have been planning and a lot of it. They were tactful, and they had patience. They'd sooner wait for the bomb to blow then trigger the explosion themselves. And thus, he was led back to his previous thought.

_What was the price? What was his real aim, if not the money? And...why?_ _Why did he even accept the job in the first place?_

Although, what would have Tooru done if Hibiki refused? Now that was a question he had an answer to, at least.

It didn't matter what they called the koroshiya, be it Hibiki, the killer echo, or even the boogeyman. When it comes down to it, he was only one person. Aoba Johsai-rengo-kai was not just a couple words listed after Tooru's name. It was hundreds, if not thousands, of people. Their kingdom–no, their  _empire_ –could never be brought down by a single man. Hibiki may be the one that fells them in the dead of the night, but Aoba-Johsai's reach extended farther than his would ever be capable of. Traces of them could be found everywhere, even in some of the most unlikely places. At that moment, Hibiki had access to the entirety of their network. Should he have refused, he would have been cut off faster than he could even think. 

A good portion of their work was maintaining connections. In order to do so, they had to make sure that the connection was kept in the best interests of the other parties involved. It was a mutualistic relationship. Considering his behavior, there's no way he'd be able to develop connections. Even if he changed, even if he tried, he'd only keep hitting walls, walls that were built by Aoba-Johsai-rengo-kai. Because Hibiki had none, Tooru was his voice. It was him who made Hibiki into a King. He became the King of the Night because Tooru had allowed him to. Hibiki may refer to himself as unaffiliated but without Aoba Johsai, he had nothing.

The targets suddenly become hard to kill when you have nothing to kill them with.

The Killer and the King are both just one man, but the King rules a kingdom. Anyone can become a Killer. It doesn't take much to be able to kill. However, not everyone can become a King. The King can take a subject's life just as easily as a Killer can, but it takes a lot more to be able to rule over them. Hibiki may be King of the Night, but in a battle between the King and the Kingmaker, the winner was clear. When forced to choose between the Killer and the King, the King was always chosen.

Regardless of whether they knew his identity or not, Tooru would have had Hibiki backed so far into a corner until the only choice he had was to accept. By agreeing up front, he saved them both the trouble.

They would have done the same thing this time around had the situation not already spiraled uncontrollably down into a disaster zone. 

"Maybe for the same reason he's unable to stay, he's unable to leave." Now it was Tooru's turn to cross his arms.

His eyes narrowed, "...What are you saying, Iwa-chan?"

"Backtrack," Iwaizumi replied. "All the way to the very first job he was involved with. He's smart, and from what I've seen, he's not a basket case. A guy like that wouldn't have chosen this life in the first place."

"There's a lot more about him that we don't know, as opposed to what we do know," Matsukawa pointed out.

"So then let's find out," Iwaizumi pressed.

"Sure, yeah, let's go ahead and try to find the guy who practically doesn't even exist. If it wasn't for that cursed phone, we would have never been able to find him," Tooru groaned.

"Did you try tracking that?" Hanamaki asked.

"It's probably lying in a million pieces on the tracks of Shinjuku Station," Tooru snorted.

"Yahaba said everything's under one 'Tsumake Hibiki' and that's an obvious alias since Oikawa was the one who first coined the name 'Hibiki'. We have no idea where the surname comes from. It's likely a pseudonym," Iwaizumi grumbled.

"Actually...I may not have been," Tooru's eyes lit up. "When I first called him by that, he didn't even sound surprised or taken aback. It didn't even phase him, almost like he was used to it."

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, "Does anything ever surprise him though?"

"Hey, at least it's something. I don't see any better ideas floating around here," Tooru sang.

" _You're_  the Kumichou. That's  _your_  job," Iwawizumi scoffed.

"Such disrespect," Tooru whined, his lip starting to curl.

"Act respectable, then."

"Come a little closer. I just want to wrap my hands around your  _fucking_  neck," Tooru sneered.

"Woah, kinky," Matsukawa snickered.

"Get a room for god's sake," Hanamaki groaned.

"Alright, that's enough of you two. Just let the adults talk it out now," Tooru cooed.

"We are the same age," Matsukawa deadpanned. The well-pruned man sent him a cheeky smile.

"Well, I happen to be sitting here, and you happen to be sitting over there. Go take a break, terrorize some kobun. I'll call you back in later should we figure something out."

"Well," Hanamaki began. "You don't have to tell me twice. You guys haven't even done anything and somehow I've already gotten my daily fill of PDA." Following that, the two Betas promptly exited the room. The stocky Alpha ambled his way back to the Kumichou's desk, hands placed squarely underneath his shoulders. Tooru pressed his lips into a thin line, reeling away from the presence.

"Yes, Iwa-chan?"

"Why are you so hung up on this?" Iwaizumi demanded. Tooru's cheeky expression faded from his face, the muscles falling to slack.

"It's just like I said, Iwa-chan. How much do you think Hibiki really knows?"

"You're not making any sense," Iwaizumi huffed.

"Do you think he knows about us?" he asked softly. Iwaizumi rolled his eyes in response.

Tooru and Iwaizumi were always together since they were young children. When they were both thrown to the streets, their bond didn't break. It only grew stronger. They worked with each other, and they protected each other. Even when Tooru had presented as an Omega, there wasn't even a question of faith. In fact, Iwaizumi was closer to him than ever. As an Alpha, he protected Tooru with his scent. It was because of Iwaizumi that Tooru was even alive. No matter how many times Tooru had tried to run away, no matter how many times he attempted to distance himself, Iwaizumi would always come find him. Always. Every time Tooru tried to leave his side, Iwaizumi followed without hesitation. Tooru didn't want it. He didn't want Iwaizumi's obligatory loyalty, not when Tooru genuinely loved him. It was slowly and painfully killing him. Of course, Iwaizumi was as stubborn as Tooru was insecure. He didn't give up on him. That alone is what saved him.

He pitied the others. He pitied those who had no one in their life because all the thoughts in the back of their head were true. It really wasn't worth living a life where you had no one. Slowly wasting away doesn't seem to outweigh the benefits of just being able to end it all quickly, and Tooru had tried. Oh, Tooru really did try, but he had someone in his life that was too unwilling to let go. It seemed that after every attempt, he proved to himself that he was fated to walk the earth another day.

To this day, Iwaizumi protected him. He wore Iwaizumi's scent as if it was his own. That was his shield. Iwaizumi was Tooru's support, solid as a stone. He accompanied him to every deal, every meeting, and every encounter. Iwaizumi protected him from instinct. Regardless of the countless times Tooru had offered him the world, Iwaizumi always refused. He wanted nothing in return. To him, Iwaizumi was worth so much more than just a subordinate. The Alpha wasn't just his second in command. He was the physical embodiment of the strength of Aoba Johsai-rengo-kai.

Tooru may be the King, but Iwaizumi was his crown.

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, "That's what you're worried about?"

"It's my greatest weakness. I'm always worried about it," Tooru whined.

"You're unbelievable, Trashykawa."

"Yeah, Iwa-chan, I am. I am unbelievable," he chuckled. "Not a single person would believe that the Kumichou of Aoba Johsai-rengo-kai is an Omega."

"Of course they wouldn't, so why does it matter? That's our goal, isn't it? That's what I'm here for. Nobody would believe it because you have me," Iwaizumi declared.

"Hibiki would believe it," he replied softly. "If he knew, he'd believe it."

"And so what if he does?" Iwaizumi clamored, pointing a strong finger straight between Tooru's eyes. "Get this through your dumb skull: you didn't get this far because everyone thought you were an Alpha, or because my scent intimidated them. You got this far because you're intelligent. You got this far because you worked your ass off to be where you are right now. Everything that you have at this very moment you've earned." His voice was nearly a growl, though it rolled smoothly against Tooru's ears.

"What did I ever do you earn you?" he cooed. "I can't think of anything of equal weight–OW!" A forceful hand came down over his head, a fist plunging into his skull.

"Your stupidity, obviously," he groaned. Tooru puckered his lower lip, pouting. He rubbed the spot that had been hit.

"That was mean, Iwa-chan." Iwaizumi furrowed his brows in frustration. He forced Tooru to meet his eyes.

"Stop making everything so complicated. Just do as we always do."

"That's easier said than done," he groaned.

"Even if he knows, even if everyone were to know that you're an Omega, they can't take your skill and all that you've accomplished away from you. No one follows you because they think you're an Alpha or because they feel obligated to. They follow you because you are the one that leads them. Not me, not Matsukawa, not anyone else– _you_. You lead them. You, who have proven yourself time and time again."

"Iwa-chan," Tooru whispered softly. His head hung low in an attempt to avoid Iwaizumi's gaze.

"I don't know how many times you are going to make me say it," Iwaizumi snapped. "It's been years. I would've thought you were past this by now."

"Iwa-chan," he said, a little louder this time.

"You need to let it go, focus on the real problems. For example–"

"Hajime!" Tooru said firmly. Iwaizumi blinked in surprise at the sudden use of his given name. His nostrils flared, sensing the distress on the Omega. "That's not what I meant," Tooru added quietly.

Iwaizumi sighed, "Alright, then explain it to me."

"I can't just let it go. Omegas can be tracked in ways that Alpha's can't," Tooru replied. He fidgeted in his seat, visibly becoming unnerved. "You know what I mean."

"Oh, you're talking about... _Oh_." Iwaizumi looked away immediately, eyes widening and brows furrowing.

"It's not so much an issue of them knowing, it's who they're going to tell." 

"So what are you trying to do then?" Iwaizumi asked. Tooru absent-mindedly began fiddling with the pens on his desk.

"Honestly, I couldn't give two shits as to whether or not he messed up. We just have to get to him before the wrong people do. Better to have him on our side than against us. Better to have him protect us than bring us down."

Iwaizumi raised a brow, "You lure him here, he joins us, then what? Keep him in your pocket for a rainy day?" A frightening yet placid expression fell across Tooru's face. He twirled the pen on the knuckle of his forefinger.

"Once he's here, once he feels safe, we cut the thread." Tooru stopped twirling the pen. He glanced up through his activity to pierce his gaze through the robust Alpha. "We kill him," he replied with utmost seriousness.

Tooru was the one who made him, and he'd be the one to unmake him.

 

• • •

 

Just as he closed the door behind him, he couldn't help but let out a low growl.

He didn't like it. Iwaizumi Hajime didn't like it. In fact, he hated it. He loathed it. Everything about it was a horrible idea. If it was up to him, Oikawa would be lying low in a safe house off in some secluded town. With all the chaos that has been occurring over the past several days, Hajime wanted Oikawa as far away from it all as possible. Every fiber in his body, every neuron in his brain was screaming at him to steal him away somewhere.

However, he couldn't always do what he wanted. That was the nature of life. Not everything will go as planned. They've been dealing with the harsh reality of that all week.

Hajime scowled as he walked away from Oikawa's office. His shoulders were tense as his muscles flexed out of irritation. Those in the surrounding area quickly stepped out of the way when he stormed down the hall. He pulled out his phone and began furiously punching away at the keys with his thumb.

They would do as they always do. Hajime would do as he's always done. He would eliminate the threat before it even had the chance to reach them.

Oikawa often had many notions filled with grandeur. Hajime had never really minded it, but there was a limit to how much he could take. He was already past his level of tolerance the moment he realized Oikawa wouldn't let it go.

It wasn't Hibiki who had blocked them from meeting him. It wasn't Hibiki who had killed the poor photographer Tooru had sent to discover his identity. Hibiki himself did an exceptional job at staying undiscovered, but he did nothing to make himself 'faceless'. All of that sprang from someone else's hands. Unbeknownst to Oikawa, Hajime and his select few were the ones who made Hibiki invisible.

Hajime knew the killer's name, knew his face, knew where he lived, knew that he wore glasses and what his prescription was...he knew everything that was possible for him to know. It still baffled him that Oikawa never suspected a thing. Hajime would never have allowed a variable half as volatile as the Kumichou makes him out to be to coexist with them.

As long as Hajime was alive and stood at Oikawa's side, there was no way that Tsukishima Kei would have been able to refuse them.

He had planned to be tactful about it, of course. If they'd gone out and killed him the day after, the abruptness would have raised a lot of suspicions. Hajime wanted to take the process slow and steady. Unfortunately, the assassin's natural unpredictability and the danger of the situation has limited him in his course.

Iwaizumi escorted himself out of the building and quickly merged with the shadows on the street. It was a seamless transition. With all his experience, it should be.

He walked promptly toward his most frequented alley and waited. The place was very private and calm, around half way across town. It was rare that he arranged a face-to-face meeting, especially with the one he had just summoned from the dark.

"Iwaizumi-san," a low voice grumbled. Hajime lifted his head, peering into the blackness.

"Oh, good. You're here," he greeted. The newcomer stepped halfway into the light so the shape of his face could be seen. Hajime gave him a solemn once over.

Kyoutani was an interesting character. He was volatile, highly aggressive, and undisciplined in a way that was almost feral. The majority of the time he doesn't aim to cause harm, though there's certainly a lack of respect and consideration for others, especially his superiors. On the streets, they referred to him as the 'Mad Dog.' Unfortunately, he couldn't even deny it. For a lack of a better word, Kyoutani was Seijoh's attack dog. Hajime picked him up on one of the times he was hunting down Oikawa and has been a huge asset ever since. Although he bit like a rabid mutt, his sense of smell was ten times better than those around him. He possessed a unique skill set, quite unlike anything Hajime has seen before. It was thanks to that they were able to find Tsukishima the first time.

"I need you to do something for me," Hajime declared. The taciturn alpha before him nodded gruffly in agreement. He never spoke more than he had to, but Hajime was similar to him in that respect. Hajime glanced up to observe the silver of night sky visible between the buildings. "What phase would you say the moon is in?" he asked.

"Third Quarter," Kyoutani replied. Hajime clicked his tongue in irritation. With this speed, they wouldn't be able to catch up.

"I want you to kick it. Kick it all the way to the new moon," Hajime growled.

"...Completely?" Kyoutani grunted.

"I don't want to see a single sliver of it by the time you're done," Hajime confirmed. He watched as the wild eyes in front of him blinked, then nodded stiffly.

"Don't tell anyone what you're doing. Don't let anyone even get a whiff of what's going on. Understand?"

"As if I would," Kyoutani scoffed. Hajime threw out a leg and kicked the younger Alpha in the shin, who hissed in surprise.

"Save the attitude for someone who cares," he snapped. "Don't drag your feet with this."

"Mhm," Kyoutani hummed in acknowledgment. He stepped back into the shadows, already on his way out. No matter what he says or does, he's still quite the loyal dog at his core. Hajime let out a deep sigh.

 

All that was left was to sit and watch where the pieces fall. This time, he'd make sure they fell into the right place.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think Oikawa's own metaphor is truer than he realizes...
> 
> These two definitely have their own story but that is for another time, haha.
> 
> Also, Iwaizumi did not just get a sudden interest in astronomy. They were not talking about the actual moon if you catch my drift. And for those who are already wondering...yes, Kyoutani and Kuroo are VERY similar. *evil snickering in the distance*
> 
> We won't get to see a lot of different POVs aside from Tsukki and Kuroo, but some surprises will occur occasionally and when relevant. :) Sorry again for the huge rant at the beginning. I also feel like the last bit of this chapter was a little rushed, so I'm sorry about that too. I've just been working on this chapter for so long I was so excited to be able to move on. I keep having to remind myself that this is literally only the 7th chapter hahaha. My brain keeps thinking this is the middle of the story...BUT IT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE PFFT.
> 
> Hope everyone liked this! It's probably confusing as to where the story is going, but I hope this answered some questions too!
> 
> See you all again soon with another update!!! School is starting up again though so I'm not sure how much time I'm actually going to have...oh boy. *long sigh*

**Author's Note:**

> As always, thank you all so much for reading! I appreciate the comments and feedback! Please, I don't bite. :) Talk to me and I will love you forever. <3
> 
> My social media platforms should you need them:  
> Instagram: @obryzii  
> WattPad: @obryzii  
> Tumblr: @obryzii  
> YouTube: @obryzii  
> DeviantArt: @articfirexx


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